Audio playback apparatus and method for resuming interrupted playback recording

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor memory card stores a plurality of audio objects (AOBs) that compose a plurality of tracks and playlist information showing a reproduction order for the tracks. The semiconductor memory card also stores, as resume information (PLMG_RSM_PL), (1) a Playlist_Number showing which playlist information was used the last time playback was performed for the semiconductor memory card, (2) a Track_Number showing the last track to be played back, and (3) a Playback_Time showing a position at which where playback was stopped as a time expressed in relation to the start of the track.

This application is based on application Nos. H11-149893, H11-236724,and H11-372605 filed in Japan, the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory card that storesaudio data, still image data and control data, and to a playbackapparatus, recording apparatus, playback method, recording method, andcomputer-readable recording medium relating to such a semiconductormemory card. In particular, the present invention relates to improvedstorage of audio data and control data distributed as contents by acontent distribution service, such as an electronic music distributionservice.

2. Description of Background Art

Electronic music distribution enables users to purchase and receivemusic contents (e.g., songs and albums) via the Internet. Suchtechnology has the potential to greatly increase the market for recordedmusic and is gradually becoming possible as the necessary hardwareinfrastructure is implemented. One way to store music contents that areobtained from an electronic music distribution service is onsemiconductor memory cards whose portability makes them ideal.Accordingly, a great increase is expected in the demand for such cards.

Various kinds of semiconductor memory cards are available, such as FlashATA cards and Compact Flash cards. Music contents can also be storedonto disc media, such as CD-R (Compact Disc-Recordable) or MiniDisc(MD). While there are a great variety of recording media that can beused for recording music contents, there are only a limited number ofmethods for indicating where the playback of a music content (track)should start. This operation is generally performed according to one ofthe following patterns.

When a music album is composed of a plurality of music contents(tracks), there are two main methods for indicating where the playbackshould start. The first method has the playback start from the firsttrack in the album. The second method has the user indicate a tracknumber and then has the playback start from the beginning of theindicated track.

In the first of these methods, the playback always starts with the sametrack and continues through all of the tracks in the album in the sameorder. If the user stops the playback midway through the album,recommencing the playback according to this method will result in theplayback apparatus returning to the first track. The user will thereforeend up having to listen to tracks that have just been played.

In the second method, the playback starts from the track indicated bythe user. When the user stops the playback at a given point in the albumand then starts playback once again, the user can have the playbackrestart from any track, such as the track following the track whereplayback was stopped. This means that the user does not have to listento the tracks from the start once more. In this latter case, however,the user will still have to make several operations, such as inputting atrack number. This can be troublesome, especially if the user does notknow which track corresponds to which track number. In such cases, theuser may indicate the wrong track, which will then be played back by theplayback apparatus.

As described above, when playback is stopped and then recommenced, thetwo methods currently used either force the user to listen to all of thetracks in order from the beginning or to input a track number for thetrack from which the playback should start. This is far from ideal.

The following two methods are also sometimes used to indicate a positionat which playback should commence. A third method has the user indicatea move of the playback position to a desired start time within a desiredtrack using a forward or backward search function provided by a playbackapparatus. A fourth method has the user indicate a desired track and adesired position within this track using a jog dial (or the like) andthen commences reproduction from this position. Since both methods havethe user indicate how far the playback previously progressed, they havethe same drawback as the second method described above.

Current MiniDisc (MD) playback apparatuses use a reproduction methodthat indicates the playback position in a more user-friendly manner thanthe first to fourth methods given above.

When the user stops the playback of an MD, resume information showingthe position where playback stopped is recorded in a nonvolatile memoryin the MD player. When the user indicates playback of the same MD, theplayback of the tracks recorded on the MD starts at the position givenin the resume information.

The resume information is recorded in the MD player in a nonvolatilemanner so that an interruption to the power supply does not result inthe loss of the information. This means that the user can listen to partof a music album, turn off the player, and still have the playbackresume at the position where playback was stopped. In this case, theuser does not have to repeatedly listen to the tracks at the start ofthe album as in the first method, or to have to input a track number asin the second method, making this an ideal way to listen to all of thetracks included in an album.

With an MD, however, the resume information showing how far an album hasbeen played back is stored within the hardware of the MD player.Accordingly, there is the problem that when an MD is ejected from aplayer and inserted into another player, the second player will playback the tracks on the MD starting from the first track in the album, inthe same way as the first method.

As a specific example, when a user listens to some of the tracks on analbum using a first playback apparatus, stops the playback, and thentransfers the disc to another playback apparatus, this second playbackapparatus will not store resume information showing the position reachedby the playback of this disc. As a result, the playback will start fromthe start of the album and so make the user listen to the same tracksagain.

Since discs are rarely transferred from one player to another during theplayback of an album, the playback returning to the start of the albummay not be such a significant problem. When the album is subjected toelectronic music distribution before being recorded onto a recordingmedium, however, it is believed that there will be many cases where analbum will be partially played back on one player and then transferredto another.

Electronic music distribution is achieved by having a computer owned bythe user download a music album from a server computer operated by arecord label. The user can then have the downloaded album played back ontheir computer. Since modern personal computers are capable of playingback music contents, users can listen to albums they have bought ontheir computer. Assume that the user listens to the album on a portableplayback apparatus after listening to it on his/her computer.

In this case, the portable playback apparatus cannot know how farplayback by the computer progressed, so that the album will be playedback once again from the start. As the user will be subjected to thesame songs that were played back by the computer, the user is likely totire of the album quicker than if all of the tracks were played back.

As recording media become smaller and lighter, though larger incapacity, it becomes increasingly possible to record albums containinglarge numbers of tracks onto a single recording medium. It is believedthat such a recording medium will often be transferred between playbackapparatuses. If the playback returns to the beginning after a largenumber of tracks have been played, this will be very annoying forlisteners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a first object of the present invention to provide a semiconductormemory card that enables playback to be resumed from a previouslystopped position without the same recorded material being played backand without a user having to indicate the playback position, even whenthe semiconductor memory card has been transferred between playbackapparatuses.

It is a second object of the present invention to provide asemiconductor memory card that enables a playback apparatus torecommence the playback of an album that was commenced on a differentplayback apparatus without the same recorded material being played back.

The first object can be achieved by a semiconductor memory card,storing: an audio sequence in which a plurality of audio objects arearranged; and resume information showing a resume position for use whenplayback of the audio sequence resumes midway through the audiosequence.

Assume that an audio sequence corresponds to a music album, and that theuser listens to a first part of the album on a playback apparatus. Ifthe user then transfers the semiconductor memory card to anotherplayback apparatus, this playback apparatus will be able to recommencethe playback of the album at the stopped position by referring to theplayback resume position shown by the resume information.

The resumption of playback based on the resume information does notrequire the user to make any particular operation. This means that theuser does not have to go to the trouble of indicating a track (audioobject) when transferring the semiconductor memory card to anotherplayback apparatus.

The resume information may include at least one of type 1 positioninformation and type 2 position information, the type 1 positioninformation showing a type 1 resume position set according to a useroperation, and the type position information showing a type 2 resumeposition that was automatically set when playback of the audio sequencelast stopped.

Here, each audio object in the audio sequence may be provided withunique identification information, the type 1 position informationshowing the type 1 resume position using the identification informationof one of the audio objects, and the type 2 position information showingthe type 2 resume position using the identification information of oneof the audio objects and time information showing an offset from a startof the one of the audio objects to the type 2 resume position.

The second object is achieved by the above construction. The type 2position information includes an offset from the start of an audioobject. When the semiconductor memory card is transferred betweenplayback apparatuses, the second playback apparatus can commenceplayback at a position immediately following a point where playback bythe first playback apparatus was stopped. This means that a user canstart to listen to an album on a first playback apparatus, stop theplayback, transfer the semiconductor memory card to another playbackapparatus, and then have the playback continue from right after thestopped position. Unlike conventional technologies, the user does nothave to put up with hearing the same tracks whenever the semiconductormemory card is transferred between playback apparatuses.

Albums obtained from an electronic music distribution service will oftenbe transferred between different playback apparatuses. In such case,however, the user will not have to listen to the same tracks wheneverthe album is transferred to another playback apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following description thereof taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a specificembodiment of the invention. In the Drawings:

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a flash memory card 31 when viewed fromabove;

FIG. 2 shows the construction of the flash memory card 31 when viewedfrom below;

FIG. 3 shows the hierarchical composition of the flash memory card 31 inthe embodiments;

FIG. 4A shows the special region, the authentication region and the userregion provided in the physical layer of the flash memory card 31;

FIG. 4B shows the composition of the authentication region and the userregion in the file system layer;

FIG. 5 shows the detailed composition of the file system layer;

FIG. 6 is a representation of when the AOB file “AOB001.SA1” is dividedinto five parts that are stored in clusters 003, 004, 005, 00A, and 00C;

FIG. 7 shows one example of the settings of the directory entries andfile allocation table when the AOB file “AOB001.SA1” is recorded in aplurality of clusters;

FIGS. 8A and 8B show what directories are provided in the user regionand the authentication region in the file system layer when the abovetwo types of data are recorded in the application layer, as well as whatkind of files are recorded in which directories;

FIG. 9 shows the correspondence between the file “AOBSA1.KEY” and theAOB files in the SD_Audio directories;

FIG. 10 shows the hierarchical composition of the data in an AOB file;

FIG. 11A shows the parameters stipulated by ISO/IEC 13818-7 standard intabular form;

FIG. 11B shows the parameters that should be used when encoding a filein MPEG-Layer 3 (MP3) format in tabular form;

FIG. 11C shows the parameters that should be used when encoding a filein Windows Media Audio (WMA) format in tabular form;

FIG. 12 shows the detailed construction of an AOB_FRAME;

FIG. 13 shows how the byte length of the audio data in each of threeAOB_FRAMEs is set;

FIG. 14 shows the correspondence between the sampling_frequency and thenumber of AOB_FRAMEs included in an AOB_ELEMENT;

FIG. 15 shows examples of the playback periods of AOB_ELEMENTs and theplayback periods of AOB_FRAMEs;

FIG. 16 shows what is reproduced when the AOBs and AOB_BLOCKs recordedin an AOB file are consecutively played back;

FIG. 17 shows the hierarchical composition of the PlaylistManager andTrackManager used in the embodiments in detail;

FIG. 18 shows the sizes of the PlaylistManager and the TrackManager;

FIG. 19 shows the correspondence between the TKIs shown in FIG. 17 andthe AOBs and AOB files shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 shows the detailed data composition of the TKTMSRT shown in FIG.17;

FIG. 21 shows one example of the TKTMSRT;

FIG. 22 shows the detailed composition of the TKGI;

FIGS. 23A and 23B show the composition of the BIT;

FIG. 23C shows the Time_Length field;

FIG. 24 shows cluster 007 to 00E into which the AOB composed ofAOB_ELEMENT#1 to AOB_ELEMENT#4 are stored;

FIG. 25 shows how the next AOB_FRAME#x+1 to be played back is set whenforward search is performed starting from the AOB_FRAME#x in anarbitrary AOB_ELEMENT#y in an AOB;

FIGS. 26A and 26B show how an AOB, an AOB_ELEMENT, and an AOB_FRAME thatcorrespond to an arbitrary playback time code are specified;

FIGS. 27A and 27B show the deletion of a track;

FIG. 28A shows the TrackManager after the deletion of a track has beenperformed several times;

FIG. 28B shows how a new TKI and AOB file are written when “Unused” TKIsare present in the TrackManager;

FIGS. 29A and 29B shows how the TKIs are set when two tracks arecombined to produce a new track;

FIG. 30A shows a Type1 AOB;

FIG. 30B shows Type2 AOBS;

FIG. 31A shows the combining of a plurality of tracks into a singletrack for a combination of a Type1+Type2+Type2+Type1 AOB;

FIG. 31B shows the combining of a plurality of tracks into a singletrack for a combination of a Type1+Type2+Type2+Type2+Type1 AOB;

FIG. 32A shows a pattern where a Type1 AOB is present at the end of apreceding track and a Type1 AOB is present at the start of a next track;

FIG. 32B shows a pattern where a Type1 AOB is present at the end of afirst track and a Type2 AOB is present at the start of a next track;

FIG. 32C shows a pattern where Type1 and Type2 AOBs are present at theend of a first track and a Type1 AOB is present at the start of a nexttrack;

FIG. 32D shows a pattern where Type1 and Type2 AOBs are present at theend of a first track and Type2 and Type1 AOBs are present at the startof a next track;

FIG. 32E shows a pattern where two Type2 AOBs are present at the end ofa first track and a Type1 is present at the start of a next track;

FIGS. 33A and 33B show the division of a track to produce two tracks;

FIGS. 34A and 34B show the content of the SD_Audio directory entries inthe SD_Audio directory including the AOB file “AOB003.SA1” before andafter the division of the track;

FIG. 35A shows the division of an AOB midway through AOB_ELEMENT#2;

FIG. 35B shows the two AOBs, AOB#1 and AOB#2, obtained by dividing anAOB midway through AOB_ELEMENT#2;

FIG. 36 shows how the BIT is set when an AOB is divided as shown in FIG.35;

FIG. 37 shows a specific example of changes in the BIT before and afterdivision;

FIG. 38 shows a specific example of changes in the TKTMSRT before andafter division;

FIG. 39A shows the format of a DPL_TK_SRP;

FIG. 39B shows the format of a PL_TK_SRP;

FIG. 40 shows the interrelation between theDefault_Playlist_Information, the TKIs, and the AOB files;

FIG. 41 shows example settings for the Default_Playlist and severalPLIs;

FIG. 42 shows how the DPL_TK_SRPs correspond to TKIs using the samenotation as FIG. 40;

FIGS. 43A and 43B show how the order of tracks is rearranged;

FIGS. 44A and 44B show how the Default_Playlist, TrackManager, and AOBfiles will be updated when DPL_TK_SRP#2 and TKI#2 are deleted from theDefault_Playlist shown in FIG. 40;

FIGS. 45A and 45B show how a new TKI and DPL_TK SRP are written when an“Unused” TKI and DPL_TK_SRP are present;

FIGS. 46A and 46B show how tracks are combined;

FIGS. 47A and 47B show how a track is divided;

FIG. 48 shows the appearance of a portable playback apparatus for theflash memory card 31 of the present embodiments;

FIG. 49 shows one example of the display on the LCD panel when aplaylist is selected;

FIGS. 50A to 50E show examples of the display on the LCD panel when atrack is selected;

FIGS. 51A to 51C show example operations of the jog dial;

FIG. 52 shows the internal construction of the reproduction apparatus;

FIG. 53 shows how data is transferred in and out of the double buffer15;

FIGS. 54A and 54B show how areas in the double buffer 15 are cyclicallyallocated using ring pointers;

FIG. 55 is a flowchart showing the AOB file read procedure;

FIG. 56 is a flowchart showing the AOB file output procedure;

FIG. 57 is a flowchart showing the AOB file output procedure;

FIG. 58 is a flowchart showing the AOB file output procedure;

FIGS. 59A to 59D show how the playback time code displayed in theplayback time code frame on the LCD panel 5 is updated in accordancewith the updating of the variable Play time;

FIG. 60 is a flowchart shows the processing of the CPU 10 when theforward search function is used;

FIGS. 61A to 61D show how the playback time code is incremented when theforward search function is used;

FIGS. 62A and 62B show specific examples of how the time search functionis used;

FIG. 63 is a flowchart showing the processing in the editing controlprogram;

FIG. 64 is a flowchart showing the processing in the editing controlprogram;

FIG. 65 is a flowchart showing the processing in the editing controlprogram;

FIG. 66 shows one example of a recording apparatus for recording dataonto the flash memory card 31;

FIG. 67 shows the hardware configuration of the recording apparatus;

FIG. 68 is a flowchart showing the processing during recording;

FIG. 69 shows the internal composition of the PlaylistManager andTrackManager in the second embodiment;

FIG. 70 shows the detailed composition of thePlaylistManager_Information;

FIG. 71 shows how the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL are set when the flashmemory card of the second embodiment is transferred between a pluralityof playback apparatuses;

FIG. 72 shows the menu screen used to receive a user setting of thePLMG_AP_*PL and the activation setting;

FIG. 73 is a flowchart showing the playback position determiningprocedure performed based on the PLMG_AP_PL en and the PLMG_RSM_PL;

FIG. 74 shows the data construction used when the upper six bytes of thePLI_RSM_PL (DPLI_RSM_PL) are stored in the DPLGI for the DPLI and in thePLGI for a PLI;

FIG. 75 shows how the PLI_RSM_PL (DPLI_RSM_PL) is set for theDefault_Playlist_Information and each PLI;

FIG. 76 shows the track sequences composed of the playback ordersindicated by the playlists shown in FIG. 41 referred to by the firstembodiment;

FIG. 77 shows one example of a menu screen that shows each playlisttogether with the setting of the PLI_RSM_PL for a case where theplayback ranges (1) to (3) in FIG. 76 have been already played back; and

FIG. 78 shows the data format of the DPLGI, PLGI, TKGI in the fourthembodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following describes a semiconductor memory card (flash memory card)that is an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to theattached figures.

The following paragraphs are arranged into a hierarchy using referencenumbers with the notation given below.

{x1−x2_(—) x3−x4}

The length of a reference number shows the level of the topic in thehierarchy. As a specific example, the number x1 is the number of adrawing that is being referred to in the explanation. The drawingsattached to this specification have been numbered in the order in whichthey are referred to in the specification, so that the order of thedrawings roughly matches the order of the explanation. The explanationof certain drawings has been divided into sections, with the referencenumber x2 giving the section number of a section in the explanation of adrawing indicated by the reference number x1. The reference number x3shows the number of an additional drawing that is provided to show thedetails of the section indicated by the section number x2. Finally, thereference number x4 shows the number of a section in the explanation ofthis additional drawing.

First Embodiment

{1-1_(—)2} External Appearance of the Flash Memory Card 31

The present explanation starts with the external, appearance of theflash memory card 31. FIG. 1 shows the appearance of the flash memorycard 31 when viewed from above, while FIG. 2 shows the construction ofthe flash memory card 31 when viewed from below. As shown in FIGS. 1 and2, the flash memory card 31 is around the same size as a postage stamp,and so is large enough to be held by hand. Its approximate dimensionsare 32.0 mm long, 24.0 mm wide, and 2.0 mm thick.

The flash memory card 31 can be seen to have nine connectors on itsbottom edge for connecting the card to a compatible device and a protectswitch 32 on one side to enable the user to set whether overwriting ofthe stored content of the flash memory card 31 is permitted orprohibited.

{3-1} Physical Construction of the Flash Memory Card 31

FIG. 3 shows the hierarchical structure of the semiconductor memory card(hereafter referred to as the “flash memory card 31”) of the presentembodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the flash memory card 31 is constructedwith a physical layer, a file system layer and an application layer inthe same way as a DVD (Digital Video Disc), though the logical andphysical constructions of these layers are very different to those on aDVD.

{3-2} Physical Layer of the Flash Memory Card 31

The following describes the physical layer of the flash memory card 31.The flash memory is composed of a plurality of sectors, each of whichstores 512 bytes of digital data. As one example, a 64 MB flash memorycard 31 will have a storage capacity of 67,108,864 (=64*1,024*1.024)bytes, so that this card will include 131,072 (=67108864/512) validsectors. Once the number of replacement sectors, which are provided foruse in case of errors, is subtracted, the remaining number of validsectors into which various kinds of data can be written is around128,000.

{3-2_(—)4A-1} Three Regions in the Physical Layer

The three regions shown in FIG. 4A are provided in the storage areacomposed of these valid sectors. These regions are the “special region”,the “authentication region” and the “user region”, and are described indetail below. The user region is characterized in that a device to whichthe flash memory card 31 is connected can freely read or write variouskinds of data from or into this region. Areas within the user region aremanaged by a file system.

The special region stores a media ID that is a value uniquely assignedto each flash memory card 31. Unlike the user region, this region isread-only, so that the media ID stored in the special region cannot bechanged.

The authentication region is a writeable region, like the user region.This region differs from the user region in that a device connected tothe flash memory card 31 can access (i.e., read or write data in) theauthentication region only if the flash memory card 31 and the devicehave first confirmed that each other is an authentic device. In otherwords, data can only be read from or written into the authenticationregion if mutual authentication has been successfully performed by theflash memory card 31 and the device connected to the flash memory card31.

{3-2_(—)4A-2} Uses of the Three Regions in the Physical Layer

When the device connected to the flash memory card 31 writes data intothe flash memory card 31, the region used to store this data will dependon whether copyright protection is necessary for the data being written.When data that requires copyright protection is written into the flashmemory card 31, the data is encrypted using a predetermined encryptionkey (called a “FileKey”) before being written into the user area. ThisFileKey can be freely set by the copyright holder and, while the use ofthis FileKey provides some level of copyright protection, the FileKeyused for encrypting the written data is itself encrypted to make thecopyright protection more secure. Any value obtained by subjecting themedia ID stored in the special region into a predetermined calculationcan be used to encrypt the FileKey. The encrypted FileKey produced inthis way is stored in the authentication region.

Since data that requires copyright protection is subjected to a two-stepencryption process where the data is encrypted using a FileKey that isitself encrypted based on the media ID, copyright infringement, such asthe production of unauthorized copies of this data, will be extremelydifficult.

{3-2_(—)4B-1} Overview of the File System

As can be understood, the construction of the physical layer of theflash memory card 31 strengthens the copyright protection of the datawritten in the flash memory card 31. The following describes the filesystem layer present on this physical layer. While the file system layerof a DVD uses a UDF (UniverSA1Disk Format)-type file system, the filesystem layer of the flash memory card 31 uses a FAT (File AllocationTable)-type file system, as described in ISO/IEC 9293.

FIG. 4B shows the construction of the authentication region and the userregion in the file system layer. As shown in FIG. 4B, the authenticationregion and the user region in the file system each include “partitionboot sectors”, a “file allocation table (FAT)”, a “root directory”, anda “data region”, meaning that the authentication region and the userregion have the same construction. FIG. 5 shows the various parts ofthese file systems in more detail. The following describes theconstruction of the user region with reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5.

{3-2_(—)4B-2} Partition Boot Sectors

The partition boot sectors are sectors that store the data that will bereferred to by a standard personal computer that is connected to theflash memory card 31 when the flash memory card 31 is set as the bootdisk for the operating system (OS) of the personal computer.

{3-2_(—)4B-3_(—)5} Data Region

The data region can be accessed by a device connected to the flashmemory card 31 in units no smaller than a “cluster”. While each sectorin the flash memory card 31 is 512 bytes in size, the cluster size is 16KB, so that the file system layer reads and writes data in units of 32sectors.

The reason the cluster size is set at 16 KB is that when data is writtenonto the flash memory card 31, part of the data stored in the flashmemory card 31 first has to be erased before the write can be performed.

The smallest amount of data that can be erased in the flash memory card31 is 16 KB, so that setting the smallest erasable size as the clustersize means that data writes can be favorably performed. The arrow ff2drawn using a broken line in FIG. 5 shows the plurality of clusters 002,003, 004, 005 . . . included in the data region. The numbers 002, 003,004, 005, 006, 007, 008 . . . used in FIG. 5 are the three-digithexadecimal cluster numbers that are exclusively assigned to identifyeach cluster. Since the c) smallest unit by which access can beperformed is one cluster, storage positions within the data region areindicated using cluster numbers.

{3-2_(—)4B-4_(—)5} File Allocation System

The file allocation system has a file system construction in accordancewith ISO/IEC 9293 standard, and so is made up of a plurality of FATvalues. Each FAT value corresponds to a cluster and shows which clustershould be read after the cluster corresponding to the FAT value. Thearrow ff1 shown by a broken line in FIG. 5 shows the plurality of FATvalues 002, 003, 004, 005 . . . that are included in the file allocationtable. The numbers 002, 003, 004, 005 . . . assigned to each FAT valueshow which cluster corresponds to each FAT value and therefore are thecluster numbers of the clusters corresponding to the FAT values.

{3-2_(—)4B-5_(—)5-1} Root Directory Entries

The “root directory entries” are information showing what kinds of filesare present in the root directory. As specific examples, the “filename”of an existing file, its “filename extension”, the “revision time/date”and “number of first cluster in file” showing where the start of thefile is stored can be written as the root directory entry of a file.

{3-2_(—)4B-5_(—)5-2} Directory Entries for Subdirectories

Information relating to files in the root directory is written as rootdirectory entries, though information relating to subdirectories is notwritten as the root directory entries. Directory entries forsubdirectories are instead produced in the data region. In FIG. 5, theSD-Audio directory entry given in the data region is one example of adirectory entry for a subdirectory. Like a root directory entry, anSD-Audio directory entry includes the “filename” of a file present inthis subdirectory, its “filename extension”, the “revision time/date”and “number of first cluster in file” showing where the start of thefile is stored.

{3-2_(—)4B-5_(—)6-1} Storage Format for AOB Files

The following describes the file storage method by showing how a filenamed “AOB001.SA1” is stored in the SD-Audio directory, with referenceto FIG. 6. Since the smallest unit by which the data region can beaccessed is one cluster, the file “AOB001.SA1” needs to be stored in thedata region in parts that are no smaller than one cluster. The file“AOB001.SA1” is therefore stored having first been divided intoclusters. In FIG. 6, the file “AOB001.SA1” is divided into five parts inkeeping with the cluster size, and the resulting parts are stored intothe clusters numbered 003, 004, 005, 00A, and 00C.

{3-2_(—)4B-5_(—)7-1} Storage Format for AOB Files

When the file “AOB001.SA1” is divided up into parts and stored, adirectory entry and the file allocation table need to be set as shown inFIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows one example of how the directory entry and fileallocation table need to be set when the file “AOB001.SA1” is storedhaving been divided up into parts and stored. In FIG. 7, the start ofthe file “AOB001.SA1” is stored in cluster 003, so that cluster number003 is written into “the number of first cluster in file” in theSD-Audio directory entry to indicate the cluster storing the first partof the file. As shown in FIG. 7, the following parts of the file“AOB001.SA1” are stored in clusters 004 and 005. As a result, while theFAT value 003(004) corresponds to cluster 003 that stores the first partof the file “AOB001.SA1”, this value indicates cluster 004 as thecluster storing the next part of the file “AOB001.SA1”. In the same way,while the FAT values 004 (005) and 005 (00A) respectively correspond toclusters 004 and 005 that store the next parts of the file “AOB001.SA1”,these values respectively indicate cluster 005 and cluster 00A as theclusters storing the next parts of the file “AOB001.SA1”. By reading theclusters with the cluster numbers written into these FAT values in orderas shown by the arrows fk1, fk2, fk3, fk4, fk5 . . . in FIG. 7, all ofthe parts produced by dividing the file “AOB001.SA1” can be read. Asexplained above, the data region of the flash memory card 31 is accessedin units of clusters, each of which is associated with a FAT value. Notethat the FAT value that corresponds to the cluster storing the finalpart of an AOB file (the cluster 0° C. in the example shown in FIG. 7)is set the cluster number FFF to show that the corresponding clusterstores the final part of a file.

This completes the explanation of the file system in the flash memorycard 31 of the present invention. The following describes theapplication layer that exists on this file system.

{3-3} Overview of the Application Layer in the Flash Memory Card 31

An overview of the application layer in the flash memory card 31 isshown in FIG. 3. As shown by the arrow PN1 drawn with a broken line inFIG. 3, the application layer in the flash memory card 31 is composed ofpresentation data and navigation data that is used to control theplayback of the presentation data. As shown by the arrow PN2, thepresentation data includes sets of audio objects (AOB sets) that areproduced by encoding audio data that represents music, for example. Asshown by the arrow PN3, the navigation data includes a “PlaylistManager”(PLMG) and a “TrackManager” (TKMG).

{3-3_(—)8A,B-1} Directory Composition

FIGS. 8A and 8B show what kind of directories are present in the userregion and the authentication region in the file system layer when thesetwo types of data are stored in the application layer, as well asshowing what files are arranged into these directories.

The filenames “SD_AUDIO.PLM” and “SD_AUDIO.TKM” in FIG. 8A indicate thefiles in which the PlaylistManager (PLMG) and TrackManager (TKMG)composing the navigation information are stored. Meanwhile, thefilenames “AOB001.SA1”, “AOB002.SA1”, “AOB003.SA1”, “AOB004.SA1”, . . .indicate the files (“AOB” files) storing the audio objects that are, thepresentation data. The letters “SA” in the filename extension of thefilename “AOB0xx.SA1” are an abbreviation for “Secure Audio”, and showthat the stored content of this file requires copyright protection. Notethat while only eight AOB files are shown in the example in FIG. 8A, amaximum of 999 AOB files can be stored in an SD-Audio directory.

When copyright protection is required for presentation data, asubdirectory called an “SD-Audio directory” is provided in theauthentication region and an encryption key storing file “AOBSA1.KEY” isproduced in this SD-Audio directory.

FIG. 8B shows the encryption key storing file “AOBSA1.KEY” that isstored under the “SD-Audio” legend (i.e., within the “SD-Audiodirectory”). This encryption key storing file “AOBSA1.KEY” stores asequence of encryption keys that is produced by arranging a plurality ofencryption keys into a predetermined order.

The SD-Audio directory shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B is stored in a servercomputer managed by a record label that uses electronic musicdistribution. When a consumer orders a music content, the correspondingSD-Audio directory is compressed, encrypted and transmitted to theconsumer via a public network. The consumer's computer receives thisSD-Audio directory, decrypts it, decompresses it and so obtains theoriginal SD-Audio directory. Note that the expression “public network”here refers to any kind of network that can be used by the public, suchas a wired communication network, e.g., an ISDN network, or a wirelesscommunication network, e.g., a mobile telephone system. It is alsopossible for a consumer's computer to download an AOB file from a servercomputer operated by a record label and then produce an SD-Audiodirectory, such as that shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, in the flash memorycard 31.

{3-3_(—)9-1} Correspondence Between the “AOBSA1.KEY” File and the AOBFiles

FIG. 9 shows the correspondence between the “AOBSA1.KEY” file in theSD-Audio directory and the AOB files. The FileKeys used when encryptingfiles in the user region shown in FIG. 9 are stored in the correspondingencryption key storing file in the authentication region.

The encrypted AOB files and the encryption key storing file correspondaccording to the predetermined rules (1), (2), and (3) described below.

(1) The encryption key storing file is arranged into a directory withthe same directory name as the directory in which the encrypted file isstored. In FIG. 9, AOB files are arranged into the SD-Audio directory inthe user region and the encryption key storing file is arranged into adirectory called the SD-Audio directory in the authentication region, inaccordance with this rule.

(2) The encryption key storing file is given a filename produced bycombining the first three letters of the filename of the AOB files inthe data region with the predetermined “.key” extension. When thefilename of an AOB file is “AOB001.SA1”, the encryption key storing fileis given the filename “AOBSA1.KEY” produced by adding the first threecharacters “AOB”, “SA1”, and the extension “.key”, as shown by thearrows nk1 and nk2 in FIG. 9.

(3) The filename of an AOB file is given a serial number showing theposition of the FileKey corresponding to this audio object in thesequence of encryption keys given in the encryption key storing file.

The “File Key Entries #1, #2, #3, . . . #8” show the first positions ofthe regions in which the respective FileKeys in the encryption keystoring file are stored. Meanwhile, the filenames of AOB files areassigned the serial numbers “001”, “002”, “003”, “004” . . . . Theseserial numbers show the positions of the corresponding FileKeys in theencryption key sequence, so that the FileKey that was used to encrypteach AOB file will be present in the “FileKey Entry” with the sameserial number. In FIG. 9, the arrows Ak1, Ak2, Ak3, . . . show thecorrespondence between AOB files and FileKeys. In other words, the file“AOB001.SA1” corresponds to the FileKey whose storage position isindicated by the “FileKey Entry#2”, and the file “AOB003.SA1”corresponds to the FileKey whose storage position is indicated by the“FileKey Entry#3”. As can be understood from rule (3), differentFileKeys are used to encrypt different AOB files, with these FileKeysbeing stored in “FileKey Entries” with the serial numbers “001”, “002”,“003”, “004”, etc., given in the filenames of the corresponding AOBfiles.

Since each AOB file is encrypted using a different FileKey, the exposureof the encryption key used for one AOB file will not enable users todecrypt other AOB files. This means that when AOB files are stored in anencrypted form on a flash memory card 31, the damage caused by theexposure of one FileKey can be minimized.

{3-3_(—)10-1} Internal Composition of an AOB File

The following describes the internal composition of an AOB file. FIG. 10shows the hierarchical data structure of an AOB file. The first level inFIG. 10 shows the AOB file, while the second level shows the audioobject (AOB) itself. The third level shows the AOB_BLOCKs, the fourthlevel an AOB_ELEMENT, and the fifth level an AOB_FRAME.

The AOB_FRAME on the fifth level in FIG. 10 is the smallest unitcomposing the AOB, and is composed of audio data in ADTS (Audio DataTransport Stream) format and an ADTS header. Audio data in ADTS formatis encrypted according to MPEG2-AAC (Low Complexity Profile) format andis stream data that can be played back at a transfer rate of 16 Kbps to144 Kbps. Note that the transfer rate for PCM (Pulse Code Modulation)that is recorded on a conventional compact disc is 1.5 Mbps, so thatdata in ADTS format generally uses a lower transfer rate than PCM. Thedata construction of a sequence of AOB_FRAMEs is the same as thesequence of audio frames included in an audio data transport streamdistributed by an electronic music distribution service. This means thatthe audio data transport stream to be stored as AOB_FRAME sequence isencoded according to MPEG2-ACC standard, encrypted, and transmitted on apublic network to the consumer. AOB files are produced by dividing thetransmitted audio data transport stream into a sequence of AOB_FRAMEsand storing these AOB_FRAMEs.

{3-3_(—)10-1_(—)11} MPEG2-AAC

MPEG2-AAC is described in detail in ISO/IEC 13818-7:1997(E) “InformationTechnology—Generic Coding of Moving Pictures and Associated AudioInformation—Part7 Advanced Audio Coding (AAC)”.

It should be noted that audio objects can only be compressed accordingto MPEG2-AAC using the parameters in the parameter table shown in FIG.11A that is defined in ISO/IEC13818-7. This parameter table is composedof a “Parameter” column, a “Value” column, and a “Comment” column.

The legend “profile” in the Parameter column shows the only LC-profilecan be used, as stipulated under ISO/IEC 13838-7. The legend“sampling_frequency#index” in the Parameter column shows that thesampling frequencies “48 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 32 kHz, 24 kHz, 22.05 kHz, and16 kHz” can be used.

The legend “number_of_data_block_in_frame” in the Parameter column showsthat the ratio of one header to one raw_data_block is used.

Note that while this explanation describes the case where AOB_FRAMEs areencoded according to MPEG-AAC format, AOB_FRAMEs may instead be encodedaccording to another format, such as MPEG-Layer3 (MP3) format or WindowsMedia Audio (WMA). When doing so, the parameters shown in the parametertables of FIG. 11B or FIG. 11C must be used.

{3-3_(—)10-2_(—)12} Composition of an AOB_FRAME

While each AOB_FRAME includes audio data that is encoded according tothe restrictions described above, the data length of the audio data ineach AOB_FRAME is restricted to a playback time of only 20 ms. However,since MPEG2-AAC is a variable bitrate (VBR) encoding method, the datalength of the audio data in each AOB_FRAME will vary. The followingdescribes the composition of an AOB_FRAME, with reference to FIG. 12.

The first level in FIG. 12 shows the overall composition, while thesecond level shows how each part of an AOB_FRAME is encrypted. As can beseen from the drawing, the ADTS header corresponds to a non-encryptedpart. The audio data includes both an encrypted part and a non-encryptedpart. The encrypted part of the audio data is composed of a plurality ofeight-byte pieces of encrypted data, each of which is produced byencrypting an eight-byte piece of audio data using a 56-bit FileKey.When encryption is performed on 64-bit pieces of audio data, thenon-encrypted part of the audio data is simply a final part of the datathat cannot be encrypted due to it being shorter than 64 bits.

The third level in FIG. 12 shows the content of the ADTS header that isin the non-encrypted part of the AOB_FRAME. The ADTS header is sevenbytes long, and includes a 12-bit synch word (set at FFF), the datalength of the audio data in this AOB_FRAME, and the sampling frequencyused when the audio data was encoded.

{3-3_(—)10-3_(—)13} Setting of the Byte Length of an AOB_FAM

FIG. 13 shows how the byte length of the audio data in each of threeAOB_FRAMEs is set. In FIG. 13, the data length of audio data#1 includedin AOB_FRAME#1 is x1, the data length of audio data#1 included inAOB_FRAME#2 is x2, and the data length of audio data#1 included inAOB_FRAME#3 is x3. When the data lengths x1, x2, and x3 are alldifferent, the data length x1 will be written in the ADTS header ofAOB_FRAME#1, the data length x2 will be written in the ADTS header ofAOB_FRAME#2, and the data length x3 will be written in the ADTS headerof AOB_FRAME#3.

Although the audio data is encrypted, the ADTS header is not, so that aplayback device can know the data length of the audio data in anAOB_FRAME by reading the data length given in the ADTS header of theAOB_FRAME.

This completes the explanation of an AOB_FRAME.

{3-3_(—)10-4} AOB_ELEMENT

The following describes the AOB_ELEMENT shown on the fourth level inFIG. 10.

An “AOB_ELEMENT” is a group of consecutive AOB_FRAMEs. The number ofAOB_FRAMEs in an AOB_ELEMENT depends on the value set as thesampling_frequency_index shown in FIG. 1A and the encoding method used.The number of AOB_FRAMEs in an AOB_ELEMENT is set so that the totalplayback time of the included AOB_FRAMEs will be around two seconds,with this number depending on the sampling frequency and encoding methodused.

{3-3_(—)10-5_(—)14} Number of AOB_FRAMEs in an AOB_ELEMENT

FIG. 14 shows the correspondence between the sampling frequency and thenumber of AOB_FRAMEs included in an AOB_ELEMENT. The number N given inFIG. 14 represents the playback period of an AOB_ELEMENT in seconds.When MPEG-ACC is used as the encoding method, the value of N is “2”.

When the sampling_frequency is 48 kHz, the number of AOB_FRAMEs includedin an AOB_ELEMENT is given as 94 (=47*2), while when thesampling_frequency is 44.1 kHz, the number of AOB_FRAMEs included in anAOB_ELEMENT is given as 86(=43*2). When the sampling_frequency is 32kHz, the number of AOB_FRAMEs is given as 64 (=32*2), when thesampling_frequency is 24 kHz, the number of AOB_FRAMEs is given as48(=24*2), when the sampling_frequency is 22.05 kHz, the number ofAOB_FRAMEs is given as 44 (=22*2), and when the sampling_frequency is 16kHz, the number of AOB_FRAMEs included in an AOB_ELEMENT is given as 32(=16*2). However, when an editing operation, such as the division of anAOB, has been performed, the number of AOB_FRAMEs included in anAOB_ELEMENT at the start or end of an AOB may be less than a numbercalculated in this way.

While no header or other special information is provided for eachAOB_ELEMENT, the data length of each AOB_ELEMENT is instead shown by atime search table.

{3-3_(—)10-6_(—)15} One Example of the Playback Periods of AOB_ELEMENTSand AOB_FRAMEs

FIG. 15 shows one example of the playback periods of AOB_ELEMENTs andAOB_FRAMEs. The first level in FIG. 15 shows a plurality of AOB_BLOCKs,while the second level shows a plurality of AOB_ELEMENTs. The thirdlevel shows a plurality of AOB_FRAMEs.

As shown in FIG. 15, an AOB_ELEMENT has a playback period of around 2.0seconds, while an AOB_FRAME has a playback period of 20 milliseconds.The “TMSRT_entry” given to each AOB_ELEMENT shows that the data lengthof each AOB_ELEMENT is given in the time search table. By referring tothe TMSRT_entries, a playback apparatus can perform a forward orbackward search where, for example, intermittent bursts of music areplayed back by repeatedly playing back 240 milliseconds of audio dataand then skipping two seconds of audio data in the desired direction.

{3-3_(—)10-7} AOB_BLOCK

This completes the explanation of an AOB_ELEMENT. The followingdescribes the concept of the AOB_BLOCKs shown on the third level of thedata construction of an AOB file given in FIG. 10.

Each “AOB_BLOCK” is composed of valid AOB_ELEMENTS. Only one AOB_BLOCKexists in each AOB_FILE. While an AOB_ELEMENT has a playback period ofaround two seconds, an AOB_BLOCK has a maximum playback period of 8.4minutes. The 8.4 minute limitation is imposed to restrict the size ofthe time search table to 504 bytes or less.

{3-3_(—)10-8} Restriction of the Time Search Table

The following describes in detail why the size of the time search tableis restricted by limiting the playback period.

When a playback apparatus performs a forward or backward search, theplayback apparatus skips the reading of two seconds of audio data beforeplaying back 240 milliseconds. When skipping two seconds of data, theplayback apparatus could in theory refer to the data lengths shown inthe ADTS headers of AOB_FRAMEs, though this would mean that the playbackapparatus would have to consecutively detect 100 (2 seconds/20milliseconds) AOB_FRAMEs just to skip two seconds of audio data. Thiswould amount to an excessive processing load for the playback apparatus.

To reduce the processing load of a playback apparatus, the readaddresses for data at two-second intervals can be written into a timesearch table that is then referred to by the playback apparatus whenperforming a forward or backward search. By writing information thatenables read addresses that are two or four seconds ahead or behind tobe found quickly into the time search table (such information being thedata sizes of AOB_ELEMENTS), a playback apparatus will only need torefer to this information when performing a forward or backward search.The data size of audio data with a playback period of two seconds willdepend on the bitrate used when playing back the audio data. As statedearlier, a bitrate in the range of 16 Kbps to 144 Kbps is used, so thatthe amount of data played back in two seconds will be in a range from 4KB(=16 Kbps×{fraction (2/8)}) to 36 KB(=144 Kbps×{fraction (2/8)}).Since the amount of data played back in two seconds will be in a rangefrom 4 KB to 36 KB, the data length of each entry in the time searchtable for writing the data length of audio data needs to be two bytes(=16 bits) long. This is because a 16-bit value is capable of expressinga number in the range 0-64 KB.

On the other hand, if the total data size of the time search table needsto be restricted to 504 bytes (this being the data size of the TKTMSRTdescribed later), for example, the maximum number of entries in the timesearch table can be calculated as 504/2=252.

Since an entry is provided every two seconds, the playback timecorresponding to this maximum of 252 entries is 504 seconds (=2s*252),or, in other words., 8 minutes and 24 seconds (=8.4 minutes). This meansthat setting the maximum playback period for an AOB_BLOCK at 8.4 minuteslimits the data size of the time search table to 504 bytes.

{3-3_(—)10-9} Regarding AOBs

This concludes the description of AOB_BLOCKs. The following describesAOBs.

The AOBs shown on the second level of FIG. 10 are regions that haveinvalid areas at either end. Only one AOB is present in each AOB file.

The invalid areas are regions that are read and written along with theAOB_BLOCKs and are stored in the same clusters as the AOB_BLOCKs. Thestart and end position of the AOB_BLOCKs within an AOB are shown by BITsincluded in the navigation data. These BITs are described in detaillater in this specification.

This completes the explanation of what data is stored in an AOB file.The following describes what kind of content is played back when theeight AOBs and AOB_BLOCKs shown in the AOB file in FIG. 9 aresuccessively read.

{3-3_(—)10⁻¹⁰ _(—)16}

FIG. 16 shows the playback content when the AOBs and AOB_BLOCKs in thisAOB file are successively read. The first level in FIG. 16 shows theeight AOB files in the user region, while the second level shows theeight AOBs recorded in these AOB files. The third level shows the eightAOB_BLOCKs included in these AOBs.

The fifth level shows the titles of five contents composed by these AOBfiles. In this example, the “contents” are the five songs SongA, SongB,SongC, SongD, and SongE, while the “title” is a music album composed ofthese five songs. The broken lines AS1, AS1, AS3, . . . AS7, and AS8show the correspondence between the AOB_BLOCKs and the parts into whichthe album is divided, so that the fourth level in FIG. 16 shows theunits used to divide the music album shown on the fifth level.

By referring to the broken lines, it can be seen that the AOB_BLOCKincluded in AOB#1 is a song (SongA) with a playback period of 6.1minutes. The AOB_BLOCK included in AOB#2 is a song (SongB) with aplayback period of 3.3 minutes. The AOB_BLOCK included in AOB#3 is asong (SongC) with a playback period of 5.5 minutes. In this way,“AOB001.SA1” to “AOB003.SA1” each correspond to a different song. Thesixth level of FIG. 16 is a track sequence composed of tracks TrackA toTrackE. These tracks TrackA-TrackE correspond to the five songs SongA,SongB, SongC, SongD, and SongE, and are each treated as a separateplayback unit.

On the other hand, AOB#4 has a playback period of 8.4 minutes and is thefirst (or “head”) part of the song SongD that has a playback period of30.6 minutes. The AOB_BLOCKs included in AOB#5 and AOB#6 are middleparts of the song SongD and also have playback periods of 8.4 minutes.The AbB_BLOCK included in AOB#7 is the end part of the song SongD andhas a playback period of 5.4 minutes. In this way, a song that has atotal playback period of 30.6 minutes is divided into(8.4+8.4+8.4+5.4-minute) parts that are each included in a differentAOB. As can be seen from FIG. 16, every song included in an AOB file issubjected to a maximum playback period of 8.4 minutes.

This explanation clearly shows that limiting the playback periods ofAOBs as described above restricts the data size of the time search tablecorresponding to each AOB. The following describes the navigation dataincluded in each time search table.

{3-3 BA,B-2}

The navigation data is composed of the two files “SD_Audio.PLM” and“SD_Audio.TKM” mentioned earlier. The file “SD_Audio.PLM” includes thePlaylistManager, while the file “SD_Audio.TKM” includes theTrackManager.

As mentioned as part of the explanation of the presentation data, aplurality of AOB files store encoded AOBs, though no other information,such as the playback period of the AOBs, the names of the songsrepresented by the AOBs, or credits for the songwriter(s), is given.While a plurality of AOBs are recorded in a plurality of AOB files, noindication as to the playback order of the AOBs is provided. To inform aplayback apparatus of such information, the TrackManager andPlaylistManager are provided.

The TrackManager shows the correspondence between the AOBs recorded inAOB files and tracks, and includes a plurality of pieces of trackmanagement information that LL: each give a variety of information, suchas the playback period of AOBs and the song names and songwriters of thevarious AOBs.

In this specification, the term “track” refers to a meaningful playbackunit for users, so that when copyrighted music is stored on a flashmemory card 31, each song is a separate track. Conversely, when an“audio book” (i.e., copyrighted literature stored as recorded audio) isrecorded on a flash memory card 31, each chapter or paragraph can be setas a separate track. The TrackManager is provided to manage a pluralityof AOBs recorded in a plurality of AOB files as a group of tracks.

A Playlist sets the playback order of a plurality of tracks. A pluralityof Playlists can be included in the PlaylistManager.

The following describes the TrackManager with reference to the drawings.

{17-1_(—)18} Detailed Composition of the PlaylistManager andTrackManager

FIG. 17 shows the detailed composition of the PlaylistManager andTrackManager in this embodiment as a hierarchy. FIG. 18 shows the sizesof the PlaylistManager all and the TrackManager. The right side of FIG.17 shows the items on the left side in more detail, with the brokenlines indicating which items are being shown in more detail.

As shown in FIG. 17, the TrackManager is composed of the TrackInformation (TKI) #1, #2, #3, #4. . . #n, as shown by the broken linehl. These TKIs are information for managing the AOBs recorded in AOBfiles as tracks, and each correspond to a different AOB file. From FIG.17, it can be seen that each TKI is composed ofTrack_General_Information (TKGI), Track_Text_Information (TKTXTI_DA) inwhich text information exclusive to a track can be written, and aTrack_Time_Search_Table (TKTMSRT) that serves as a time search table.

From FIG. 18, it can be seen that each TKI has a fixed size of 1,024bytes, which means that total size of the TKGI and the TKTXTI_DA isfixed at 512 bytes due to the size of the TKTMSRT being fixed at 512bytes. In the TrackManager, a total of 999 TKIs can be set.

As shown by the broken line h3, the TKTMSRT is composed of aTMSRT_Header and TMSRT_entries #1, #2, #3 . . . #n.

{17-2_(—)19} Correspondence of TKI with AOB Files and AOBs

FIG. 19 shows how the TKIs shown in FIG. 17 correspond to the AOB filesand AOBs shown in FIG. 16. The boxes on the first level in FIG. 19 showa sequence of tracks composed of tracks TrackA to TrackE, the largeframe on the second level shows the TrackManager, while the third andfourth levels show the eight AOB files given in FIG. 16. The eight AOBfiles are recorded in the eight AOBs shown in FIG. 16, and compose amusic album including tracks TrackA, TrackB, TrackC, TrackD, and TrackE.The second level shows the eight TKIs. The numbers “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”assigned to each TKI are the serial numbers used to identify each TKI,with each TKI corresponding to the AOB file that has been given the sameserial number 001, 002, 003, 004, 005 . . . .

With this in mind, it can be seen from FIG. 19 that TKI#1 corresponds tothe file “AOB001.SA1”, that TKI#2 corresponds to the file “AOB002.SA1”,TKI#3 corresponds to the file “AOB003.SA1”, and TKI#4 corresponds to thefile “AOB004.SA1”. The correspondence between TKIs and AOB_FRAMEs isshown by the arrows TA1, TA2, TA3, TA4 . . . in FIG. 19.

In this way, each TKI corresponds to a different AOB recorded in an AOBfile and gives detailed information that applies only to thecorresponding AOB.

{17-3_(—) 20} Data Composition of a TKTMSRT

The following describes the information that applies to single AOBsrecorded in AOB files, starting with the TKTMSRT. FIG. 20 shows the datacomposition of the TKTMSRT in detail.

The right side of FIG. 20 shows the detailed data composition of thetime search table header (TMSRT_Header). In FIG. 20, the TMSRT_Headerhas a data size of eight bytes, and is made up of three fields. Thefirst two bytes are a TMSRT_ID, the next two bytes are reserved, and thefinal four bytes are a Total TMSRT_entry_Number.

A unique ID for identifying the TMSRT is recorded in the “TMSRT_ID”. Thetotal number of TMSRT_entries in the present TMSRT is recorded in the“Total TMSRT_entry Number”.

{17-3_(—)21-1} Specific Example of the TKTXSRT

The following describes a TKTMSRT in detail. FIG. 21 shows one exampleof a TKTMSRT. The left side of FIG. 21 shows an AOB, while the rightside shows the corresponding TKTMSRT. The AOB on the left side of FIG.21 is composed of a plurality of AOB_ELEMENTs numbered #1, #2, #3 #nthat occupy the regions numbered AR1, AR2, AR3 . . . ARn to the right.

The numbers such as “0”, “32000”, “64200”, “97000”, oil “1203400”, and“1240000” show the relative addresses of ti) areas AR1, AR2, AR3, ARn-1,ARn occupied by the AOB_ELEMENTs with respect to the start of theAOB_BLOCK. As examples, AOB_ELEMENT#2 is recorded at a position that isat a distance “32000” from the start of the AOB_BLOCK, whileAOB_ELEMENT#3 is recorded at a position that is at a distance “64200”from the start of the AOB_BLOCK and AOB_ELEMENT#n-1 is recorded at aposition that is at a distance “1203400” from the start of theAOB_BLOCK.

It should be noted that the distance between each occupied region andthe start of the AOB_BLOCK is not a multiple of a certain value, meaningthat the regions occupied by AOB_ELEMENTs are not of the same size. Thereason the occupied regions have different sizes is that the varyingamounts of data are used to encode each AOB_FRAME.

Since the size of the region occupied by each AOB_ELEMENT differs, it isnecessary to inform a playback apparatus in advance of the position ofeach AOB_ELEMENT in an AOB when performing a jump to the start of anAOB_ELEMENT. For this purpose, a plurality of TMSRT_entries are given inthe TKTMSRT. The arrows RT1, RT2, RT3 . . . RTn-1, RTn show thecorrespondence between the regions AR1, AR2, AR3 . . . ARn-1, ARnoccupied by each AOB_ELEMENT and TMSRT_entry#1, TMSRT_entry#2,TMSRT_entry#3 TMSRT_entry#n-1, TMSRT_entry#n. In other words, the sizeof the region AR1 occupied by AOB_ELEMENT#1 is written in theTMSRT_entry#1, while the sizes of the regions AR2 and AR3 occupied byAOB_ELEMENT#2 and AOB_ELEMENT#3 are written in the TMSRT_entries #2 and#3.

Since the occupied area AR1 takes up the region from the start of theAOB to the start of the AOB_ELEMENT#2 “32000”, the size “32000”(=32000-0) is written in the TMSRT_entry#1. The occupied area AR2 takesup the region from the start of the AOB_ELEMENT#2 “32000” to the startof the AOB_ELEMENT#3 “64200”, so that the size “32200” (=64200-32000) iswritten in the TMSRT_entry#2. The occupied area AR3 takes up the regionfrom the start of the AOB_ELEMENT#3 “64200” to the start of theAOB_ELEMENT#4 “97000”, so that the size “32800” (=97000-64200) iswritten in the TMSRT_entry#3. In the same way, the occupied area ARn-1takes up the region from the start of the AOB_ELEMENT#n-1 “1203400” tothe start of the AOB_ELEMENT#n “1240000”, the size “36600”(=1240000-1203400) is written in the TMSRT_entry#n-1.

{17-3_(—)21-2} How the TKTMSRT is read

In this way, the data sizes of AOB_ELEMENTs are written in a time searchtable. However, since the data length of each AOB_BLOCK is restricted toa maximum of 8.4 minutes, the total number of AOB ELEMENTs included in asingle AOB is limited to a predetermined number (“252” as shown in FIG.20) or less. Since the number of AOB_ELEMENTs is restricted, the numberof TMSRT_entries corresponding to AOB_ELEMENTs is also restricted, whichrestricts the size of the TKTMSRT including these TMSRT_entries towithin a predetermined size. Since the size of the TKTMSRT isrestricted, a playback apparatus can read and use TKIs in the followingway.

The playback apparatus reads a certain AOB and on commencing playback ofthe AOB, reads the corresponding TKI and stores it in a memory. Thiscorresponding TKI is kept in the memory while the playback of this AOBcontinues. Once the playback of the AOB ends, the following AOB is read,and when the playback of this AOB commences, the playback apparatusoverwrites the TKI corresponding to this following AOB into the memoryin place of the old TKI. This next TKI is kept in the memory while theplayback of this following AOB continues.

By reading and storing TKIs in this way, the necessary capacity of thememory in the playback apparatus can be minimized while still enablingspecial playback functions such as forward and backward search to berealized. While the present embodiment describes the case where the datalength from the first address of an AOB_ELEMENT to the first address ofthe next AOB_ELEMENT is written in the TMSRT_entry, relative addressesfrom the start of the AOB_BLOCK to the first addresses of AOB ELEMENTsmay be written in there instead.

{17-3_(—)21-3} Specifying a Cluster Including an AOB_ELEMENT

The following describes how an AOB_ELEMENT may be read using theTKTMSRT. The TKTMSRT includes the size of each AOB_ELEMENT, so that whenAOB_ELEMENT#y, which is the y^(th) AOB_ELEMENT from the start of an AOB,is to be read, the cluster u that satisfies Equation 1 given below iscalculated, and data positioned with the offset v from the start of thecluster u is read.

Cluster u=(Total of the TMSRT_entries from AOB_ELEMENT#1 toAOB_ELEMENT#y−1+DATA_Offset)/Cluster size  Equation 1

Offset v=(Total of the TMSRT_entries from AOB_ELEMENT#1 toAOB_ELEMENT#y−1+DATA_Offset) mod Cluster size

where c=a mod b indicates that c is the remainder produced when a isdivided by b

The DATA_Offset is written in the BIT and is described later in thisspecification.

{17-4} TKTXI_DA

This completes the explanation of the time search table (TKTMSRT). Thefollowing describes the Track_Text_Information Data Area (TKTXI_DA)recorded in the upper part of the TKTMSRT.

The Track_Text_Information Data Area (TKTXTI_DA) is used to store textinformation showing the artist name, album name, mixer, producer, andother such information. This area is provided even when such textinformation does not exist.

{17-5} TKGI

The following describes the TKGI recorded in the upper part of theTKTXI_DA. In FIG. 17, several sets of information shown as theidentifier “TKI_ID” of the TKI, the TKI number “TKIN”, the TKI size“TKISZ”, a link pointer to the next TKI “TKI_LNK_PTR”, block attributes“TKIBLK_ATR”, a playback period “TKI_PB_TM”, the audio attributes“TKI_AOB_ATR”, an “ISRC”, and block information “BIT”. Note that onlysome of this information has been shown in FIG. 17 to simplify therepresentation.

{17-5_(—)22-1} TKGI

The following describes the composition of a TKGI in detail, withreference to FIG. 22. The difference between FIG. 17 and FIG. 22 is thatthe data composition of the TKGI that was shown in FIG. 17 is arrangedon the left side of this drawing, and that the bit compositions of “TKIBLK_ATR”, “TKI_AOB_ATR” and “ISRC” are clearly shown.

{17-5_(—)22-2} TKZ_ID

A unique ID for a TKI is written in the “TKIID”. In the presentembodiment, a two-byte “A4” code is used.

{17-5_(—)22-3} TKIN

A TKI number in the range of 1 to 999 is written in the “TKIN”. Notethat the TKIN of each TKI is unique. In the present embodiment, theposition of each TKI in the TrackManager is used as the TKIN. This meansthat “1” is written as the TKI number of TKI#1, “12“1 is written as theTKI number of TKI#2, and “3” is written as the TKI number of TKI#3.

{17-5_(—)22-4} TKI_SZ

The data size of the TKI in byte units is written in the “TKI_SZ”. InFIG. 22, 1,024 bytes is given as the data size of the TKI so that eachTKI in the present embodiment is 1,024 bytes long.

{17-5_(—)22-5} TKI_LN_PTR

The TKIN of the TKI to which the present TKI is linked is written in the“TKI_LNK_PTR”. The following describes such links between TKIs.

When a track is composed of a plurality of AOBs which are recorded in aplurality of AOB files, these AOB files will be managed as a singletrack by linking the plurality of TKIs that correspond to these AOBfiles. To link a plurality of TKIs, it is necessary to show the TKI ofthe AOB file that follows after the AOB file of the present TKI.Accordingly, the TKIN of the TKI that follows the present TKI is writtenin TKI_LNK_PTR.

{17-5_(—)22-6_(—)19} TK_LNK_PTR

The following describes the settings made for the TKI_LNK_PTR in theeight TKIs shown in FIG. 19. The track information numbered #1 to #3 and#8 each correspond to separate tracks, so no information is set in theirTKI_LNK_PTR. The track information TKI#4, TKI#5, TKI#6, TKI#7 correspondto the four AOB files that compose TrackD, so that the next trackinformation is indicated in the TKI_LNK PTR of these TKIs. As shown bythe arrows TL4, TL5, and TL6 in FIG. 19, “TKI#5¹¹ is set in theTKI_LNK_PTR of TKI#4, “TKI#6” is set in the TKI_LNK_PTR of TKI#5, and“TKI#7” is set in the TKI_LNK_PTR of TKI#6.

As a result, a playback apparatus can refer to the TKI_LNK_PTRs given inthe TKIs corresponding to these four AOB files and so find out that thefour TKIs TKI#4 to TKI#7 and the four AOB files “AOB004.SA1” to AOB007.SA1” compose a single track, TrackD.

{17-5_(—)22-7} TKI_BLK_ATR

The attributes of present TKI are written in the “TKIBLK_ATR”. In FIG.22, the information shown within the broken lines extending form theTKI_BLK_ATR shows the bit composition of the TKI_BLK_ATR. In FIG. 22,the TKI_BLK_ATR is shown as being 16 bits long, with the bits from b3 tobl5 being reserved for future use. The three bits from bit b2 to b0 areused to show the attributes of the TKI.

When one TKI corresponds to a complete track, the value “00b” is writtenin the TKI_BLK_ATR (this setting is hereafter referred to as “Track”).When several TKIs correspond to the same track, the value “001b” iswritten in the TKI_BLK_ATR of the first TKI (this setting is hereafterreferred to as “Head_of_Track”), the value “010b” is written in theTKI_BLK_ATRs of the TKIs that correspond to AOBs in the middle of thetrack (this setting is hereafter referred to as “Midpoint_of_Track”),and the value “011b” is written in the TKI_BLK_ATR of the TKI thatcorresponds to the AOB at the end of the track (this setting ishereafter referred to as “End_of_Track”). When a TKI is unused but a TKIregion exists, which is to say, when there is a deleted TKI, the value“100b” is written in the TKI_BLK_ATR (this setting is hereafter referredto as “Unused”). When a TKI is unused and no TKI region exists, thevalue “101b” is written in the TKI_BLK_ATR.

{17-5_(—)22-8_(—)19} Example Setting of the TRI_BLK_ATR

The following describes the settings of the TKI_BLK_ATR for each TKI inthe example shown in FIG. 19.

By referring to the TKI_BLK_ATR of each TKI, it can be seen that thefour pairs TKI#1 (“AOB001.SA1”), TKI#2 (“AOB002.SA1”), TKI#3(“AOB003.SA1”), and TKI#8 (“AOB008.SA1”) each correspond to separatetracks since the TKI_BLK_ATR of each of TKI#1, TKI#2, TKI#3, and TKI#8is set as “Track”.

The TLK_BLK_ATR of TKI#4 is set at “Head_of_Track”, the TLK_BLK_ATR ofTKI#7 is set at “End_of_Track”, and the TLK_BLK_ATR of TKI#5 and TKI#6is set at “Midpoint_of_Track”. This means that the AOB file(“AOB004.SA1”) corresponding to TKI#4 is the start of a track, the AOBfiles (“AOB005.SA1”) and (“AOB006.SA1”) corresponding to TKI#5 and TKI#6are midpoints of the track, and the AOB file (“AOB007.SA1”)corresponding to TKI#7 is the end of a track.

By classifying the combinations of TKI and corresponding AOB file inaccordance with the settings of the TKI_BLK_ATR in the TKI, it can beseen that the combination of TKI#1 and “AOB001.SA1” composes a firsttrack (TrackA). ‘37’ Likewise, the combination of TKI#2 and“AOB002.SA1”composes a second track (TrackB) and the combination ofTKI#3 and “AOB003.SA1” composes a third track (TrackC). The combinationof TKI#4 and “AOB004.SA1” composes the first part of the fourth track(TrackD), the combinations of TKI#5 with “AOB005.SA1” and TKI#6 with“AOB006.SA1” compose central parts of TrackD, and the combination ofTKI#7 and “AOB007.SA1” composes the end part of TrackD. Finally, thecombination of TKI#8 and “AOB008.SA1” composes a fifth track (TrackE).

{17-5_(—)22-9} TKI_PB_TM

The playback period of the track (song) composed of the AOB recorded inthe AOB file corresponding to a TKI is written in the “TKI_PB_TM” in theTKI.

When a track is composed of a plurality of TKIs, the entire playbackperiod of the track is written in the TKI_PB_TM of the first TKIcorresponding to the track, while the playback period of thecorresponding AOB is written into the second and following TKIs for thetrack.

{117-5_(—)22-10} TKI_MOB_ATR

The encoding conditions used when producing an AOB, which is to sayinformation such as (1) the sampling frequency at which the AOB recordedin the corresponding AOB file was sampled, (2) the transfer bitrate, and(3) the number of channels, is written in the “TKI_AOB_ATR” in a TKI.The bit composition of the TKI_AOB_ATR is shown within the broken linesthat extend from the “TKI_AOB_ATR” in FIG. 22.

In FIG. 22, the TKI_AOB_ATR is composed of 32 bits, with the coding modebeing written in the four-bit field from bit b16 to bit b19. When theAOB is encoded according to MPEG-2 AAC (with ADTS header), the value“0000b” is written into this field, while when the AOB is encodedaccording to MPEG-layer 3 (MP3), the value “0001b” is written. When theAOB is encoded according to Windows Media Audio (WMA), the value “0010b”is written in this field.

The bitrate used when encoding the AOB is written in the eight-bit fieldbetween bit b15 and bit b8. When the AOB is encoded according to MPEG-2AAC (with ADTS header), a value between “16” and “72” is written intothis field, while when the AOB is encoded according to MPEG1-layer 3(MP3), a value between “16” and “96” is written. When the AOB is encodedaccording to MPEG1-layer 3 (MP3) LSF, a value between “16” and “80” iswritten into this field, while when the AOB is encoded according toWindows Media Audio (WMA), a value between “8” and “16” is written.

The sampling frequency used when encoding the AOB is written in thefour-bit field between bit b7 and bit b4. When the sampling frequency is48 kHz, the value “0000b” is written in this field. When the samplingfrequency is it 44.1 kHz, the value is “0001b”, when the samplingfrequency is 32 kHz, the value is “001b”, when the sampling frequency is24 kHz, the value “0010b”, when the sampling frequency is 22.05 kHz, thevalue “0001b”, and when the sampling frequency is 16 kHz, the value“010b”.

The number of channels is written in the three-bit field from bit b3 tobit b1. When one channel (i.e., monaural) is used, the value “000b” iswritten in this field, while when two channels (i.e., stereo) is used,the value “001b” is written in this field.

The twelve-bit field from bit b31 to bit 20 is reserved for future use,as is the bit b0.

{17-5_(—)22-11} ISRC

An ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is written in the TKGI.In FIG. 22, the broken lines extending from the “ISRC” box show thecontent of the ISRC. As shown in the drawing, the ISRC is composed often bytes, with a Recording-item code (#12) being written into thefour-bit field between bit b4 and bit b7. A Recordingcode/Recording-item code (#11) is written in the four-bit field betweenbit b8 and bit b11.

A Recording Code (ISRC#10, #9, #8) is written in the twelve-bit fieldbetween bit b12 and bit b23. A Year-of-Recording code (ISRC#6, #7) iswritten in the eight-bit field b24 and bit b31.

The First Owner Code (ISRC #3, #4, #5) is written in the six-bit fieldbetween bit b32 and bit b37, the six-bit field between bit b40 and bitb45, and the six-bit field between bit b48 and bit b53. The Country Code(ISRC #1, #2, #3) is written in the six-bit field between bit b56 andbit b61 and the six-bit field between bit b64 and bit b69. A one-bitValidity flag is written in a one-bit field composed of bit b79. Adetailed description of ISRC can be found in IS03901:1986“Documentation-International Standard Recording Code (ISRC)”.

{17-5_(—)22-12_(—)23A-1} BIT

The “Block Information Table (BIT)” is a table for managing anAOB_BLOCK, and has the detailed composition shown in FIGS. 23A and 23B.

As shown in FIG. 23A, a BIT is composed of a DATA_OFFSET field thatoccupies a region from the 60th byte to the 63rd byte, an SZ_DATA fieldthat occupies a region from the 64th byte to the 67th byte, a TMSRTE_Nsfield that occupies a region from the 68th byte to the 71st byte, anFNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE field that occupies a region from the 72nd byte to the73rd byte, an FNs_Last_TMSRTE that occupies a region from the 74th byteto the 75th byte, an FNs_Middle_TMSRTE field that occupies a region fromthe 76th byte to the 77th byte, and a TIME_LENGTH field that occupies aregion from the 78th byte to the 79th byte.

Each of these fields is described in detail below.

{17-5_(—)22-12_(—)23A-2} DATA_Offset

The relative address of the start of an AOB_BLOCK from the boundarybetween clusters is written in the “DATA_OFFSET” as a value given inbyte units. This expresses the size of an invalid area between an AOBand the AOB_BLOCK. As one example, when a user records a radio broadcaston a flash memory card 31 as AOBs and wishes to delete an intro part ofa track over which a DJ has spoken, the DATA_OFFSET in the BIT can beset to have the track played back without the part including the DJ'svoice.

{17-5_(—)22-12_(—)23A-3} SZ_DATA

The data length of an AOB_BLOCK expressed in byte units is written in“SZ_DATA”. By subtracting a value produced by adding the SZ_DATA to theDATA_Offset from the file size (an integer multiple of the clustersize), the size of the invalid area that follows the AOB_BLOCK can befound.

{17-5_(—)22-12_(—)23A-4} TMSRTE_Ns

The total number of TMSRT_Entries included in an AOB_BLOCK is written in“TMSRTE_Ns”.

{17-5_(—)22-12_(—)23A-5} “FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE”,

“FNs_Last_TMSRTE”, “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”

The number of AOB_FRAMEs included in the AOB_ELEMENT positioned at thestart of a present AOB_BLOCK is written in “IFNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE”.

The number of AOB_FRAMEs included in the AOB_ELEMENT positioned at theend of the present AOB_BLOCK is written in “FNs_Last_TMSRTE”.

The number of AOB_FRAMEs included in each AOB_ELEMENT apart from thoseat the start and the end of the present AOB_BLOCK, which is to sayAOB_ELEMENTs in the middle of the AOB_BLOCK, is written in“FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”.

The playback period of an AOB_ELEMENT is written in the format shown inFIG. 23C in the “TIME_LENGTH” field to an accuracy in the order ofmilliseconds. As shown in FIG. 23C, the “TIME_LENGTH” field is 16-bitslong. When the encoding method used in MPEG-ACC or MPEG-Layer3, theplayback period of an AOB_ELEMENT is two seconds, so that {D) the value“2000” is written in the “TIME_LENGTH” field.

{17-5_(—)22-13_(—)23B}

FIG. 23B shows the number of AOB_FRAMEs indicated by “FNs_Middle TMRTE”.In the same way as FIG. 14, FIG. 23B shows the relationship between thesampling_frequency and C} the number of AOB_FRAMEs included in anAOB_ELEMENT in the middle of an AOB_BLOCK.

The relationship between the sampling_frequency and the number of framesincluded in the AOB_ELEMENT shown in FIG. 23B is the same as that shownin FIG. 14, which is to say, the number of frames in an AOB_ELEMENTdepends on the sampling frequency used. The number of frames written in“FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE” and “FNs_Last TMSRTE” will fundamentally be the sameas the number written in “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”, though when an invalidarea is present in the AOB_ELEMENTs at the start and/or end of anAOB_BLOCK, the values given in “FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE” and/or“FNs_Last_TMSRTE” will differ from the value in “FNs Middle_TMSRTE”.

{17-5_(—)22-14_(—)24} Example of a Stored AOB_ELEMENT

FIG. 24 shows the clusters 007 to 00E that store the AOB composed ofAOB_ELEMENT#1 to AOB_ELEMENT#4. The following describes the settings inthe BIT when an AOB is stored as shown in FIG. 24. AOB_ELEMENT#1 toAOB_ELEMENT#4 that are stored in cluster 007 to cluster 00E areindicated in FIG. 24 by the triangular flags, with TMSRT_entries beingset in the TKI for each of AOB_ELEMENT#1 to AOB_ELEMENT#4.

In this example, the first part of AOB_ELEMENT#1 at the start of the AOBis stored in cluster 007, while the last part of AOB_ELEMENT#4 at theend of the AOB is stored in cluster 00E. The AOB_ELEMENTs #1 to #4occupy the region between md0 in cluster 007 to md4 in cluster 00E. Asshown by arrow sd1 in FIG. 24, the SZ_DATA in the BIT indicates thatAOB_ELEMENTs #1 to #4 occupy a region from the start of cluster 007 tothe end of cluster 00E, and so does not indicate that there are theinvalid areas ud0 and ud1 in clusters 007 and 00E that are not occupiedby an AOB_ELEMENT.

On the other hand, the AOB also includes the parts b0 and ud1 that arepresent in clusters 007 and 00E but are not occupied by AOB_ELEMENT#1 orAOB_ELEMENT#4. The DATA_Offset given in the BIT gives the length of theunoccupied region ud0, which is to say, a position value for the startof the AOB_ELEMENT#1 relative to the start of cluster 007.

In FIG. 24, the AOB_ELEMENT#1 occupies a region from md0 in cluster 007to md1 in cluster 008.

This AOB_ELEMENT#1 does not occupy all of cluster 008, with theremaining part of the cluster being occupied by AOB_ELEMENT#2.AOB_ELEMENT#4 occupies a region from md3 midway through cluster 00C tomd4 midway through cluster 00E. In this way, AOB ELEMENTs may be storedacross cluster boundaries, or in other words, AOB_ELEMENTs can berecorded without regard for the boundaries between clusters. The“FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE” in the BIT shows the number of frames inAOB_ELEMENT#1 that is located in clusters 007 and 008, while the“FNs_Last_TMSRTE” in the BIT shows the number of frames in AOB_ELEMENT#4that is located in clusters 00C to 00E.

In this way, AOB_ELEMENTs can be freely positioned without regard forthe boundaries between clusters. The BIT provides information showingthe offset from a cluster boundary to an AOB_ELEMENT and the number offrames in each AOB_ELEMENT.

{17-5_(—)22-14_(—)25} Use of the Number of Frames given in eachAOB_ELEMENT (part 1)

The following describes how the number of frames in each AOB_ELEMENTgiven in the BIT is used. This number of frames given in the BIT is usedwhen forward or backward search is performed. As mentioned earlier, suchoperations play back 240 milliseconds of data after first skipping datawith a playback period of two seconds.

FIG. 25 shows how AOB_FRAME#x+1, which should be played back next, isset when performing forward search starting from an AOB_FRAME#x in anAOB_ELEMENT#y in an AOB.

FIG. 25 shows the case when a user selects forward search during theplayback of AOB_FRAME#x included in AOB_ELEMENT#y. In FIG. 25, “t”represents the intermittent playback period (here, 240 milliseconds),“f(t)” shows the number of frames that correspond to this intermittentplayback period, “skip_time” shows the length of the period that shouldbe skipped between intermittent playback periods (here, two seconds),“f(skip_time)” shows the number of frames that correspond to this skiptime. Intermittent playback is achieved by repeating the threeprocedures (1), (2), and (3) described below.

(1) The playback apparatus refers to the TMSRT_entry in the TKTMSRT andjumps to the start of the flag symbol (AOB_ELEMENT).

(2) The playback apparatus performs playback for 240 milliseconds.

(3) The playback apparatus jumps to the start of the next flag symbol(AOB_ELEMENT).

The AOB_FRAME#x+1 that exists 2s+240 ms from the AOB_FRAME#x included inthe AOB_ELEMENT#y will definitely be present in the AOB_ELEMENT#y+1.When specifying the AOB_FRAME#x+1 that is 2s+240 ms from theAOB_FRAME#x, the first address of the next AOB_ELEMENT#y+1 can beimmediately calculated by reading a TMSRT_entry from the TKTMSRT, thougha playback apparatus cannot know the number of AOB_FRAMEs from the startaddress of the AOB_ELEMENT#y+1 to the AOB_FRAME#x+1 from the TMSRT_entryalone.

To calculate this number of AOB_FRAMES, it is necessary to subtract thetotal number of frames included in the AOB_ELEMENT#y from the total of(1) the number#x showing the position of the AOB_FRAME#x relative to thestart of the AOB_ELEMENT#y, (2) f(t) and (3) f(skip_time). To simplifythe calculation of the relative frame position of AOB_FRAME#x+1 inAOB_ELEMENT#y+1, the “FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE”, “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”, and“FNs_Last_TMSRTE” for each AOB_ELEMENT are written in the BIT, asmentioned above.

{17-5_(—)22-15_(—)26A} Use of the Number of Frames Given in EachAOB_ELEMENT (part 2)

The number of frames written in the BIT is also used when the playbackapparatus performs a time search function where playback starts at apoint indicated using a time code. FIG. 26A, shows how a playbackapparatus can specify the AOB_ELEMENT and AOB_FRAME corresponding to theplayback start time indicated by the user. When playback is to commencefrom a time indicated by the user, the indicate time (in seconds) is setin the Jmp_Entry field, the playback should begin from an AOB_ELEMENT#Yand an AOB_FRAME position x that satisfy Equation 2 given below.

Jmp_Entry(sec)=(FNs _(—)1st _(—) TMSRTE+FNs_middle_(—) TMSRTE*y+x)*20msec  Equation 2

Since the “FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE” and “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE” are provided inthe BIT, these can be substituted into Equation 2 to calculate theAOB_ELEMENT#y and AOB_FRAME#x. Having done this, a playback apparatuscan refer to the TKTMSRT of the AOB, calculate the first address of theAOB_ELEMENT#y+2 (which is the (y+2)^(th) AOB_ELEMENT in this AOB), andstart the search for AOB_FRAME#x from this first address. On finding thex^(th) AOB_FRAME, the playback apparatus starts the playback from thisframe. In this way, the playback apparatus can start the playback ofdata from the time indicated by Jmp_Entry (in seconds).

In this way, a playback apparatus does not have to search for the ADTSheader parts of AOB_FRAMEs, and only needs to perform the search inAOB_ELEMENTs that are given in the TMSRT_entries in the TKTMSRT. Thismeans that the playback apparatus can find a playback position a)corresponding to an indicated playback time at high speed.

In the same way, when the Jmp_Entry is set and the time search functionis used on a track that is composed of a plurality of AOBs, the playbackapparatus only needs to calculate an AOB_ELEMENT#y and AOB_FRAME#x thatsatisfy Equation 3 below.

Jmp_Entry (in seconds)=Playback period from AOB#1 to AOB#n+(FNs _(—)1st_(—) TMSRTE(#n+1)+FNs_middle_(—) TMSRTE(#n+1)*y+x)*20m sec  Equation 3

The total playback period of the AOBs from AOB#1 to AOB#n is as follows.

Total Playback Period from AOB#1 to AOB#n=[“FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE”(#1)+“FNs_Middle_TMSRTE” (#1)*(Nu mber ofTMSRT_entries(#1)−2)+“FNs_Last_TMSRTE” (#1)+“FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE”(#2)+(“FNs_Middle_TMSRTE ” (#2)*Number of TMSRT_entries(#2)−2)+“FNs_Last_TMSRTE” (#2)+“FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE”(#3)+(“FNs_Middle_TMSRTE” (#3)*Number of TMSRT_entries(#3)−2)+“FNs_Last_TMSRTE” (#3) . . . +“FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE”(#n)+(“FNs_Middle_TMSRTE” (#n)* Number of TMSRT_entries(#n)−2)+“FNs_Last_TMSRTE” (#n)]*20 msec

Having calculated an AOB#n, an AOB_ELEMENT#y, and AOB_FRAME#x thatsatisfy Equation 3, the playback apparatus refers to the TKTMSRTcorresponding to the AOB#n+1, searches for the x^(th) AOB_FRAME from theaddress at which the (y+2)^(th) AOB_ELEMENT (i.e., AOB_ELEMENT#y+2) ispositioned, and starts the playback from this X^(th) AOB_FRAME.

{17-5_(—)22-16_(—)27A,B} Deletion of an AOB File and a TKI

This completes the explanation of all of the information included in theTKI. The following describes how the TKI is updated in the followingfour cases. In the first case (case1), a track is deleted. In the secondcase (case2) a track is deleted and a new track is recorded. In thethird case (case3) two out of a plurality of tracks are selected andcombined into a single track. Finally, in the fourth case (case4), onetrack is divided to produce two tracks.

The following describes case1 where a track is deleted.

FIGS. 27A and 27B show the partial deletion of a track. The example inFIGS. 27A and 27B corresponds to the TrackManager shown in FIG. 19, andassumes that the user has indicated the partial deletion of Track B. TheAOB corresponding to TrackB is recorded in “AOB002.SA1”, which isassociated with TKI#2. This means that the deletion of “AOB002.SA1” isaccompanied by the setting of “Unused” into the TKI_BLK_ATR of TKI#2.This state where “AOB002.SA1” has been deleted and “Unused” has been setinto the TKI_BLK_ATR of TKI#2 is shown in FIG. 27B. Since “AOB002. SA1”has been deleted, the region that was formerly occupied by “AOB002.SA1”is freed to become an unused region. As mentioned above, the otherchange is that “Unused” is set in the TKI_BLK_ATR of TKI#2.

{17-5_(—)22-17_(—)28A,B} Assignment of TKIs when a New AOB is Recorded

The following describes case2 where a new track is recorded after thedeletion of a track.

FIG. 28A shows the TrackManager after the deletion of tracks has beenperformed several times. As shown in FIG. 28A, if the trackscorresponding to TKI#2, TKI#4, TKI#7, and TKI#8 have been deleted, then“Unused” is set in the TKI_BLK_ATR of these TKI. While AOB files aredeleted in the same way as conventional data files, the TrackManager isupdated by merely setting “Unused” in the TKI_BLK_ATR of thecorresponding TKI. These means that TKIs whose TKI_BLK_ATRs are set at“Unused” can appear at different places in the TrackManager.

FIG. 28B shows how a new TKI and AOB file are written when a TKI whoseTKI BLK_ATR is “Unused” is present in the TrackManager. Like in FIG.28A, the TKI#2, TKI#4, TKI#5, TKI#7, and TKI#8 in FIG. 28B are set as“Unused”.

In FIG. 28B, the new track to be written is composed of four AOBs. Theunused TKIs used to record these AOBs are determined according to theDPL_TK_SRPs or can be freely chosen. In the present example, the unusedTKIs numbered TKI#2, TKI#4, TKI#7, and TKI#8 are used to record the TKIsfor the new track.

Since these four AOBs compose one track, “Head_of_Track” is set in theTKI_BLK_ATR of TKI#2, “Middle_of_Track” is set in the TKI_BLK_ATR ofTKI#4 and TKI#7, and “End_of_Track” is set in the TKI_BLK_ATR of TKI#8.The TKI_LNK_PTR in each of the four TKIs, TKI#2, TKI#4, TKI#7, andTKI#8, used to compose the new TrackD is set so as to show the TKIforming the next part of TrackD, so that as shown by the arrows TL2,TL4, and TL7, TKI#4 is set in the TKI_LNK_PTR of TKI#2, TKI#7 is set inthe TKI_LNK_PTR of TKI#4, and TKI#8 is set in the TKI_LNK_PTR of TKI#7.

After this, the files “AOB002.SA1”, “AOB004.SA1”, “AOB007.SA1”, and“AOB008.SA1” having the same numbers as TKI#2, TKI#4, TKI#7, TKI#8 areproduced, and the four AOBs composing TrackD are stored in these fourfiles.

By appropriately setting the TKI_LNK_PTRs and TKI_BLK_ATRs, this fourthtrack TrackD can be managed using TKI#2, TKI#4, TKI#7, and TKI#8.

As described above, when a new track is written onto the flash memorycard 31, TKIs in the TrackManager that are set as “Unused” are assignedas the TKIs to be used for tracks that are to be newly recorded.

{17-5_(—)22-18_(—)29A,B} Setting of TKI when Combining Two Tracks

The following describes the updating of the TKI when combining tracks(case3).

FIGS. 29A and 29B show how the TKIs are set when two tracks are combinedto produce a new track. The example in FIG. 29A uses the sameTrackManager as FIG. 19 and shows the case when the user performs anediting operation to combine TrackC and TrackE into a single track.

In this case, the AOBs that correspond to TrackC and TrackE are recordedin the AOB files “AOB003.SA1” and “AOB008.SA1” which correspond to TKI#3and TKI#8, so that the TKI_BLK_ATRs of TKI#3 and TKI#8 are rewritten.FIG. 29B shows the TKI_BLK_ATR of these TKIs after rewriting. In FIG.29A, the TKI_BLK_ATRs of TKI#3 and TKI#8 is written as “Track”, but inFIG. 29B the TKI_BLK_ATR of TKI#3 is rewritten to “Head_of_Track” andthe TKI_BLK_ATR of TKI#8 is rewritten as “End_of_Track”. By rewritingthe TKI_BLK_ATRs in this way, the AOB files “AOB003.SA1” and“AOB008.SA1” which correspond to TKI#3 and TKI#8 end up being treated asparts of a single track, the new TrackC. This operation is accompaniedby the TKI_LNK_PTR of TKI#3 being rewritten to indicate TKI#8.

It should be particularly noted here that while the TKI_BLK_ATRs in theTKI are rewritten, no processing is performed to physically combine theAOB files “AOB003.SA1” and “AOB008.SA1”. This is because AOB files areeach encrypted using different FileKeys, so that when combining AOBfiles, it would be necessary to perform two processes for each AOB fileto first decrypt the encrypted AOB file and then to re-encrypt theresult, resulting in an excessive processing load. Also, an AOB filecombined in this way would be encrypted using a single FileKey, whichwould make the combined track less secure that the tracks used toproduce it.

The TKI is originally designed so as to suppress the size of theTKTMSRT, so that the physical combining of AOB files by an editingoperation would also carry the risk of the TKI becoming too large.

For the reasons given above, editing operations that combine tracksleave the AOB files in their encrypted state and are achieved by merelychanging the attributes given by the TKI_BLK_ATRs.

{17-5_(—)22-18_(—)29A,B-1_(—)30, 31} Conditions that Should be Satisfiedwhen Combining Tracks

The combining of tracks is performed by changing the TKI_BLK_ATRattributes as described above, but the AOBs that are included in thecombined tracks should satisfy the conditions given below.

A first condition is that the AOB that is to compose a latter part of anew track needs to have the same audio attributes (audio coding mode,bitrate, sampling frequency, number of channels, etc.) as the AOB thatis to compose the first part of the new track. If an AOB has differentaudio attributes to the preceding or succeeding AOB, the playbackapparatus will have to reset the operation of the decoder, which makesseamless (i.e., uninterrupted) playback of consecutive AOBs difficult.

The second condition is that in the track produced by the combining,three or more AOBs made up of only AOB_ELEMENTs whose number ofAOB_FRAMEs is below the required number for an “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”cannot be linked.

AOBs are classified into two types depending on whether at least oneAOB_ELEMENT includes a same number of AOB_FRAMEs as the number of framesstipulated for an “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”. The Type1 AOB includes at leastone AOB_ELEMENT having this number of AOB_FRAMEs, while the Type2 AOBincludes no AOB_ELEMENT having this number of AOB_FRAMEs.

In other words, AOB_ELEMENTs in a Type2 AOB have fewer AOB_FRAMEs than“FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”, and the second condition stipulates that threeType2 AOBs cannot be linked together.

The reason for the second condition is as follows. When the playbackapparatus reads AOBs successively, it is preferable for a sufficientnumber of AOB_FRAMEs to accumulate in the buffer of the playbackapparatus, though this cannot be achieved when there are consecutiveType2 AOBs. In such case, an underflow is likely to occur in the bufferof the playback apparatus, so that uninterrupted playback by theplayback apparatus can no longer be guaranteed. Therefore, in order toavoid such underflows, the second condition stipulating that three ormore Type2 AOBs cannot be linked continuously is used.

FIG. 30A shows a Type1 AOB, while FIG. 30B shows two examples of Type2AOBs. In FIG. 30B, both AOBs are composed of less than two AOB_ELEMENTS,with none of the AOB_ELEMENTs including a number of AOB_FRAMEs that isset for an “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”. Since the absence of an AOB_ELEMENT withthe number of AOB_FRAMEs set for an “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE” is the conditionby which an AOB is classified as a Type2 AOB, this means that all of theAOBs shown in this drawing are classified as Type2 AOBS.

In FIG. 31A, a combining of Type1+Type2+Type2+Type1 AOBs into a singletrack is shown. As this combining does not involve the linking of threeType2 AOBs, these AOBs may be linked to form a single track.

FIG. 31B shows the linking of Type1+Type2+Type2+Type2+Type1 AOBs into asingle track. This combining would result in there being threeconsecutive Type2 AOBs, and so is prohibited.

{17-522-18629A,B-1_(—)32} Combining of Tracks with Respect toCombinations of Type1 and Type2 AOBS

In the combining of AOBs into a single track shown in FIG. 31A, if thelast AOB in the first track is a Type1 AOB, the combining can beperformed regardless of whether the first part of this track is a Type1AOB or a Type2 AOB. FIG. 32A shows the case where the last AOB in thefirst track is a Type1 AOB and the first AOB in the next track is also aType1 AOB. FIG. 32B shows the case where the last AOB in the first trackis a Type1 AOB and the first AOB in the next track is a Type2 AOB. Asthe second condition is satisfied in both of these cases, theillustrated tracks can be combined into a single track.

When the last AOB in the first track is a Type2 AOB and the precedingAOB in the first track is a Type 1 AOB, this first track can be combinedwith a following track that starts with a Type1 AOB regardless ofwhether the first AOB in the first track is a Type1 AOB or a Type2 AOB.

FIG. 32C shows the case where the first track ends with a Type1 AOB anda Type2 AOB in that order and the second track starts with a Type1 AOB.FIG. 32D shows the case where the first track ends with a Type1 AOB anda Type2 AOB in that order and the second track starts with a Type2 AOBand a Type1 AOB in that order. As the second condition is satisfied inboth of these cases, the illustrated tracks can be combined into asingle track.

When the first track ends with a Type2 AOB and the immediately precedingAOB is also a Type2 AOB, this first track can be combined with afollowing track that starts with a Type1 AOB. FIG. 32E shows the casewhere the first track ends with two Type2 AOBs and the second trackstarts with a Type1 AOB. As the second condition is satisfied in thiscase, the illustrated tracks can be combined into a single track. Inthis way, when two tracks are to be combined, an investigation isperformed to see whether the two tracks satisfy the first and secondconditions and the two tracks are only combined if they are judged tosatisfy these conditions.

The following describes the updating of the TKI for case4 where a trackis divided.

{17-5_(—)22-19_(—)33A,B} Settings for the TKI When a Track is Divided

FIGS. 33A and 33B show examples of when a single track is to be dividedto produce two new tracks. For these examples, the content of theTrackManager is the same as in FIG. 27, with the user being assumed tohave performed an editing operation that divides TrackC into two newtracks, TrackC and TrackF. When TrackC is to be divided into a newTrackC and TrackF, the AOB file “AOB002.SA1” is generated correspondingto TrackF. FIG. 33A shows that TKI#2 is set as “Unused”, with this TKI#2being assigned to the newly generated AOB file. “AOB002.SA1”.

{17-5_(—)22-19_(—)33A,B-1_(—)34A,B} Updating of the Directory Entriesand the FAT Values

When the AOB file “AOB003.SA1” is divided to produce “AOB002.SA1” thedirectory entries and FAT values have to be updated. This updating isexplained below. FIG. 34A shows how the SD-Audio Directory Entry in theSD-Audio Directory to which the AOB file “AOB003.SA1” belongs is writtenbefore the file is divided.

The AOB file “AOB003.SA1” is divided into a plurality of parts that arestored in clusters 007, 008, 009, 00A . . . 00D, 00E. In this case, thefirst cluster number for the AOB file “AOB003.SA1” given in thedirectory entry is written as “007”. The values (008), (009), (00A) . .. (00D), (00E) are also written in the FAT values 007, 008, 009, 00A 00Dcorresponding to the clusters 007, 008, 009, 00A . . . 00D.

When the AOB file “AOB003.SA1” is divided so that its latter partbecomes the new AOB file “AOB002.SA1”, a “filename”, a “filenameextension” and a “number of first clusters in file” for the new AOB file“AOB002.SA1” are added to the SD-Audio directory entry. FIG. 34B showshow the SD-Audio Directory Entry in the SD-Audio Directory to which theAOB file “AOB003.SA1” belongs is written after the AOB file “AOB003.SA1”has been divided.

In FIG. 34B, the cluster 00F stores a copy of cluster 00B that includesthe boundary indicated by the user when dividing the file. The parts ofthe AOB file “AOB002.SA1” that follow the part included in the cluster00B are stored in the clusters 00C, 00D, 00E as before. Since the firstpart of the AOB file “AOB002.SA1” is stored in the cluster 00F and theremaining parts are stored in the clusters 00C, 00D, 00E, 00F” iswritten into the “number of first cluster in file” for the new AOB file“AOB002.SA1”, while (00C), (00D), (00E) are written into the FAT values00F, 00C, 00D, 00E corresponding to the clusters 00F, 00C, 00D, and 00E.

{17-5_(—)22-19_(—)33A,B-2_(—)35A,B}

Setting of the Information Fields in the TXI The following describes howthe information fields in the TKI are set for the AOB file “AOB002.SA1”once this file has been obtained by updating the directory entries andthe FAT values. When generating a TKI for a divided track, there are twokinds of information fields in the TKI. These are (1) information thatcan be copied from the original TKI and (2) information obtained byupdating the information in the original TKI. The TKTXTI_DA and ISRC arethe former type, while the BIT, the TKTMSRT and other information fieldsare the latter type. Since both types of information exist, the presentembodiment generates a TKI for a divided track by copying the originalTKI to produce a template for the new TKI, and then dividing/updatingthe TKTMSRT and BIT in this template and updating the remaininginformation fields.

FIG. 35A shows the case where an AOB_FRAME in an AOB is divided. Thefirst level in FIG. 35A shows the four AOB_ELEMENTS, AOB_ELEMENT#1,AOB_ELEMENT#2, AOB_ELEMENT#3, and AOB_ELEMENT#4. The data lengths ofthese AOB_ELEMENTs are set in the TKTMSRT as the four TMSRT_entries #1,#2, #3, and #4. If the boundary bd1 for the division is set inAOB_ELEMENT#2 in FIG. 35A, AOB_ELEMENT#2 is divided into a first region(1) made up of the frames located before the boundary bd1 and a secondregion (2) composed of the frames located after the boundary bd1. FIG.35B shows the two AOBs AOB#1 and AOB#2 obtained by dividing the AOBmidway though AOB_ELEMENT#2.

FIG. 36 shows how the BIT is set when an AOB is divided as shown inFIGS. 35A and 35B. The AOB shown in FIGS. 35A and 35B is divided at theboundary bd1. The AOB#1 produced by this division includes the twoAOB_ELEMENTs AOB_ELEMENT#1 and AOB_ELEMENT#2, while the other AOB#2produced by this division includes the three AOB_ELEMENTs,AOB_ELEMENT#1, AOB_ELEMENT#2, and AOB_ELEMENT#3.

In FIG. 36, these AOB_ELEMENTS have also been given the triangular flagsto shows the settings of the TMSRT_entries included in the TKIscorresponding to these AOBS. The explanation will first focus on AOB#1which is obtained by this division. AOB-ELEMENT#1 and AOB-ELEMENT#2 thatare included in AOB#1 occupy cluster 007 to cluster 00A, so that AOB#1is handled as being the composite of cluster 007 to cluster 00A.AOB_ELEMENT#2 in AOB#1 has a data length that ends not at the end ofcluster 00A, but at the boundary bd1 that is present within cluster 00A,so that the SZ_DATA for AOB#1 is given as the amount of data from theregion md0 to the boundary bd1 in cluster 00A. The “FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE”for AOB#1 is the same as before division, while the “FNs_Last_TMSRTE”for AOB#1 differs from the value used before division in that it nowindicates the number of frames from the start of AOB_ELEMENT#2 beforedivision to the boundary bd1.

The following describes AOB#2 which is obtained by this division.AOB_ELEMENT#1, AOB_ELEMENT#2, and AOB_ELEMENT#3 that are included inAOB#2 occupy cluster 00B to cluster 007. Cluster 00F includes a copy ofthe content of cluster 00A. The reason cluster 0° F. stores a copy ofcluster 00A is that cluster 00A is occupied by AOB_ELEMENT#2 in AOB#1,so that it is necessary to assign a different cluster to AOB_ELEMENT#1in AOB#2.

AOB_ELEMENT#1 in AOB#2 has a data length that starts not at thebeginning of cluster 00F, but at the boundary bd1 that is present withincluster 00F, so that the SZ_DATA for AOB#2 is given as the amount ofdata from the start of cluster 00B to a point midway through cluster 00Eplus the data length of the part of cluster 00F occupied byAOB_ELEMENT#1.

The part of AOB_ELEMENT#2 in AOB#1 that is included in the copy ofcluster 00A stored in cluster 00F needs to be excluded from AOB#2, sothat the DATA_Offset field in the BIT of AOB#2 is set at the size of thepart of AOB_ELEMENT#2 in AOB#1 included in cluster 00F.

As can be seen from FIG. 36, the division of the AOB result in only theAOB_ELEMENT that includes the boundary for the division being dividedinto two and in the other AOB_ELEMENTs positioned before and after thedivided AOB_ELEMENT remaining unchanged. As a result, the“FN_Last_TMSRTE” of AOB#2 is set at the same value for the“AOB_ELEMENT#4” before the division, and the “FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE” ofAOB#2 is set at AOB_ELEMENT#1 of AOB#2, which is to say, the number offrames included in the part that follows the boundary once AOB_ELEMENT#2has been divided.

{17-5_(—)22-19_(—)33A,B-4_(—)37} Setting of the BIT

FIG. 37 shows a more specific example of changes in the BITs as a resultof the division of a track. The left side of FIG. 37 shows an example ofthe settings of the BIT before division. In this BIT, the Data_Offset isset as “X”, the SZ_DATA is set at “52428”, and the TMSRTE_Ns is set at“n”. The FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE is set at “80 frames”, the FNs_Middle_TMSRTEis set at “94 frames”, and the FNs_Last_TMSRTE is set at “50 frames”.

The right side of FIG. 37 shows the settings of two BITs produced by thedivision of a track. When the AOB corresponding to the BIT on the leftside of FIG. 37 is divided as shown in FIG. 35A, the Data_Offset in theBIT of the first track produced by the division is set at “X” like thetrack before division”, the “SZ_DATA” is updated to the data length “Q”from the start to the division point Q, and the TMSRTE_Ns is set at “k”which shows the number of TMSRT_entries from the first TMSRT_entry tothe k^(th) TMSRT_entry. The FNs_(—)1st TMSRTE and FNs_Middle_TMSRTE arerespectively set at “80” and “94” frames in the same way as the BITbefore division, but since the final AOB_ELEMENT in the AOB of the firsttrack produced by the division includes “p” AOB_FRAMES, the FNs_LastTMSRTE is set at “p frames.”

In the BIT of the second track produced by the division, the“Data_Offset” is set at “R”, the “SZ_DATA” is set at (original SZ#DATA“52428″-data length up to division point Q), and the TMSRTE_Ns is set at“n-k+l” produced by adding one (for the kth TMSRT_entry that is newlyadded as a result of the division) to the number of TMSRT_entries fromthe k^(th) TMSRT_entry to the n^(th) TMSRT_entry.

The FNs_Middle_TMSRTE and FNs_Last_TMSRTE are set at the same values asthe BIT before division, which is to say, “94 frames” and “50 frames”respectively.

The first AOB_ELEMENT in the AOB of this second track includes “94-p”AOB_FRAMES, so that “94-p” is set in the FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE of the BITcorresponding to this track.

{17-5_(—)22-19_(—)33A,B-5_(—)38} Setting of the BIT

FIG. 38 shows the TKTMSRT after division. The following explains thesettings of the TMSRT first. The TMSRT of the first track includes theTMSRT_entries from the first TMSRT_entry of the AOB before division tothe kth TMSRT_entry, which is to say, the TMSRT_entries #1 to #k.

It should be noted here that the AOB_ELEMENT#k that includes theboundary for the division only includes region (1), so that the k^(th)TMSRT_entry only includes a data size corresponding to this region (1).The TMSRT of the second track includes the TMSRT_entries from the kthTMSRT_entry of the AOB before division to the nth TMSRT_entry, which isto say, the TMSRT_entries #k to #n. It should be noted here that theAOB_ELEMENT#k that includes the boundary for the division only includesregion (2), so that the k^(th) TMSRT_entry only includes a data sizecorresponding to this region (2).

The copying of the TKI is accompanied by the division and updating ofthe TKTMSRT and the BIT, and once the remaining information has beenupdated, the TKIs for the new tracks produced by the division will becomplete. In the same way as when combining tracks, the AOB files arenot decrypted, so that two tracks can be produced by dividing an AOBfile in its encrypted state. Since the division of an AOB file in doesnot involve decryption and re-encryption, the processing load ofdividing a track can be suppressed. This means that tracks can be editedeven by a playback apparatus with limited processing power.

This completes the explanation of the TKI. The following describes thePlaylists.

{17-6} PlaylistManager

As shown by the broken lines h5 in FIG. 17, the PlaylistManager shown ismade up of PlaylistManager_Information (PLMGI) for managing thePlaylists stored in the flash memory card 31,Default_Playlist_Information (DPLI) for managing all of the track storedin the flash memory card 31, and PlaylistInformation (PLI) #1, #2, #3,#4 . . . #m. Each PLI is information for a user-defined Playlist. Asshown by the broken lines h6, the DPLI is composed ofDefault_Playlist_General_Information (DPLGI) andDefault_Playlist_Track_Search_Pointers (DPL_TK_SRP) #1, #2, #3, #4 . . .#m. As shown by the broken lines h7, each PLI is composed ofPlaylist_General_Information (PLGI), and Playlist_Track_Search_Pointers(PL_TK_SRP) #1, #2, #3, #4 . . . #m.

The DPLI referred to here differs from each PLI in the following way.While the DPLI has to indicate all of the tracks stored in the flashmemory card 31, a PLI does not have this restriction and can indicateany number of the tracks. This opens up various possibilities for theuser. As representative examples, the user can generatePlaylist_Information indicating only his (her) favorite tracks and storethis Playlist_Information in the flash memory card 31, or can have aplayback apparatus automatically generate Playlist_Information that onlyindicates tracks of a certain genre, out of a plurality of tracks storedin the flash memory card 31, and store the resulting PlaylistInformation in the flash memory card 31.

{17-7_(—)18} Number of Playlists and Their Data Sizes

As shown in FIG. 18, a maximum of 99 Playlists can be stored on oneflash memory card 31. The combined data size of thePlaylistManager_Information (PLMGI) and the Default Playlist Information(DPLI) is also fixed at 2,560 bytes. Each PLI has a fixed length of 512bytes. The “DPL_TK_SRP” included in the Default Playlist Informationincludes a “DPL_TK_ATR” and a “DPL_TKIN”. On the other hand, the“PL_TK_SRP”. The format of the FPL)TK_ATR, DPL_TKIN, and PL_TKIN fieldsis shown in FIGS. 39A and 39B.

{17-8_(—)39-1} Format of DPL_TK_SRP

FIG. 39A shows the format of the DPL_TK_SRP. In FIG. 39A, the DPL_TKINis written in the 0th to 9th bits in the DPL_TK SRP, while the DPL_TKATR is written in the 13th to 15th bits. The 10th to 12th bits in theDPL_TK_SRP are reserved for future use.

The TKI number is written in the DPL_TKIN that occupies the 0th to 9thbits in the DPL_TK SRP. This enables a TKI to be specified.

{17-9_(—)39B} Format of the PL_TX_SRP

FIG. 39B shows the format of the PL_TK_SRP. This is a ten-bit field inwhich PL_TKIN, which is to say, a TKI number, is written.

{17-8_(—)39A-2} Composition of DPL_TX_ATR

The broken lines h51 and h52 that extend from the DPL_TK_ATR in FIG. 39Ashow an example setting of the DPL_TK_ATR. As can be seen from thisdrawing, the DPL_TK_ATR is set for a DPL_TK_SRP in the same way asTKI_BLK_ATR is set for a TKI, which is to say, the DPL_TK_ATR is set atone of “Track”, “Head_of_Track” “Midpoint_of_Track”, and “End_of_Track”.

In more detail, when the TKI indicated by the TKIN is used and an AudioObject (AOB) corresponding to one complete track is recorded in the AOBfile corresponding: to the indicated TKI (i.e., when the TKI_BLK_ATR ofthe TKI is “Track”), the value “00b” is set in the “DPL_TK_ATR”.

When the TKI indicated by the TKIN is used and an Audio Object (AOB)corresponding to only the start of a track is recorded in the AOB filecorresponding to the indicated TKI (i.e., when the TKI_BLK_ATR of theTKI is “Head_of_Track”), the value “001b” is set in the “DPL_TK_ATR”.When the TKI indicated by the TKIN is used and an Audio Object (AOB)corresponding to a midway part track is recorded in the AOB filecorresponding to the indicated TKI (i.e., when the TKI_BLK_ATR of theTKI is “Midpoint_of_Track”), the value “010b” is set in the“DPL_TK_ATR”. When the TKI indicated by the TKIN is used and an AudioObject (AOB) corresponding to an end part of a track is recorded in theAOB file corresponding to the indicated TKI (i.e., when the TKI_BLK_ATRof the TKI is “End_of_Track”), the value “011b” is set in the“DPL_TK_ATR”.

Conversely, when the TKI indicated by the TKIN is unused and the TKIregion is merely established, which corresponds to when a TKI has beendeleted (i.e., when the TKI_BLK_ATR of the TKI is “Unused”), the value“10b” is set in the DPL_TK ATR.

When the TKI indicated by the TKIN is unused and no TKI region has beenestablished, which is to say, when a TKI is in an initial state, thevalue “101b” is set in the “DPL_TK_ATR”.

Since the number of a TKI is written in the DPL_TKIN, it is clear whichof the plurality of TKI corresponds to nm each DPL_TK_SRP. The positionof the DPL_TK_SRP in the Default_Playlist_Information shows when the AOBcorresponding to the TKI that in turn corresponds to the DPL_TK_SRP willbe played back, i.e., the ordinal position of the AOB in theDefault_Playlist. As a result, the order of the DPL_TK_SRP items in theDefault_Playlist denotes the order in which a plurality of tracks willbe played, or in other words, determines the playback order of tracks.

{17-9_(—)40-1} Interrelationship Between the Default_PlaylistInformation, TKI, and AOB Files

FIG. 40 shows the interrelationship between theDefault_Playlist_Information, the TKI, and the AOB files. The second,third, and fourth levels in this drawing are the same as the first,second, and third levels in FIG. 19, and so show a TrackManagerincluding eight TKI and eight AOB files. FIG. 40 differs from FIG. 19 inthat a box showing the Default_Playlist_Information is given on thefirst level. The eight small divisions shown in this box show the eightDPL_TK_SRP included in the Default_Playlist_Information. The upper partof each division shows the DPL_TK_ATR, while the lower part shows theDPL_TKIN.

As shown by the arrows DT1, DT2, DT3, DT4 . . . in FIG. 40, DPL_TK_SRP#1and TKI#1 are related, as are DPL_TK_SRP#2 and TKI#2, DPL_TK_SRP#3 andTKI#3, and in DPL_TK_SRP#4 and TKI#4.

Looking at the DPL_TK_ATR fields in the DPL_TK_SRP, it can be seen that“Track” has been set for each of DPL_TK SRP#1, DPL_TK SRP#2, DPL_TKSRP#3, and DPL_TK_SRP#8. In other words, the four combinationsDPL_TK_SRP#1 _TKI#1(“AOB001.SA1”), DPL_TK_SRP#2 TKI#2(“AOB002.SA1”¹),DPL_TK_SRP#3 TKI#3(“AOB003.SA1”), DPL_TK_SRP#8 _TKI#8(“AOB008.SA1”)correspond to four separate tracks.

Meanwhile, none of DPL_TK_SRP#4, DPL_TK_SRP#5, DPL_TK_SRP#6, andDPL_TK_SRP#7 has a DPL_TK_ATR set as “Track”. Instead, the DPL_TK_SRP#4of DPL_TK_ATR is set at “Head_of_Track”, the DPL_TK_ATR of DPL_TK_SRP#7is set at “End_of_Track” and the DPL_TK_ATRs of DPL_TK_SRP#5 andDPL_TK_SRP#6 are set at “Midpoint_of_Track”.

This means that TKI#4 (“AOB004.SA1”), which is related to DPL_TK_SRP#4,is the start of a track, TKI#5(“AOB005.SA1”) and TKI#6(“AOB006.SA1”),which are respectively related to DPL_TK_SRP#5 and DPL_TKSRP#6, aremiddle parts of a track, and TKI#7(“AOB007.SA1”), which is related toDPL_TK_SRP#7, is the end of a track.

The DPL_TK_SRP entries in the DefaultPlaylist show in what order theAOBs corresponding to each TKI are to be played back. The DPL_TKINs ofDPL_TK_SRP#1, #2, #3, #4 #8 in the DefaultPlaylist of FIG. 40 indicateTKI#1, #2, #3, #4 . . . #8. As shown by the arrows (1) (2) (3) (4). . .(8), the AOB file “AOB001.SA1” corresponding to TKI#1 will be playedback first, “AOB002.SA1” corresponding to TKI#2 will be played backsecond, “AOB003.SA1” corresponding to TKI#3 will be played back third,and “AOB004.SA1” corresponding to TKI#4 will be played back fourth.

{17-10_(—)41} Example Settings for the DefaultPlaylist andPlaylist_Information

FIG. 41 shows example settings for the Default_Playlist and thePlaylist_Information using the same notation as FIG. 40. In FIG. 41, thebox on the first level shows the Default_Playlist, while the three boxeson the second level show the PLIs.

The small divisions in the box showing the Default_Playlist shows theeight DPL_TK_SRP values included in the Default_Playlist, while thesmall divisions in the boxes illustrating each PLI show three or fourPL_TK_SRP values. The setting of the TKIN of each DPL_TK_SRP included inthe Default_Playlist Information is the same as in FIG. 40. However, thesettings of the TKIN of the PL_TK_SRP included in each PLI arecompletely different to those in the DPLTK_SRP.

{17-10 _(—)42} Correspondence Between the DPL_TR_SRP and the TKI

FIG. 42 shows the correspondence between the DPL_TK_SRP and the TKIusing the same notation as in FIG. 40. In FIG. 42, Playlist#1 iscomposed of PL_TK_SRP#1, #2, #3. Of these, #3 is written as the PL_TKINof PL_TK_SRP#1, while #1 is written as the PL_TKIN of PL_TK_SRP#2 and #2as the PL_TKIN of PL_TK SRP#3. This means that when tracks are playedback according to Playlist#1, a plurality of AOBs will be played back asshown by the arrows (11) (12) (13) in the order AOB#3, AOB#1, AOB#2.

Playlist#2 is composed of PL_TK_SRP#1, #2, #3. Of these, #8 is writtenas the PL_TKIN of PL_TK_SRP#1, while #3 is written as the PL_TKIN ofPL_TK_SRP#2 and #1 as the PL_TKIN of PL_TK SRP#3. This means that whentracks are played back according to Playlist#2, a plurality of AOBs willbe played back, as shown by the arrows (21) (22) (23) in the orderAOB#8, AOB#3, AOB#1, which is to say, in a completely different order toPlaylist#1.

Playlist#3 is composed of PL_TK_SRP#1, #2, #3, #4, the PL_TKIN of thesePL_TK_SRP#1 to #4 are respectively set as #8, #4, #3, and #1. This meansthat when tracks are played back according to Playlist#3, a plurality ofAOBs will be played back as follows. First, AOB#8 that composes TrackEis played back as shown by the arrow (31). Next, AOB#4, AOB#5, AOB#6,and AOB#7 that compose TrackD are played back as shown by the arrow(32). After this, AOB#3 and AOB#1 that respectively compose TrackC andTrackA are played back as shown by the arrows (33) and (34).

Of special note here is that when a track is composed of a plurality ofTKI, only the TKI number of the start of the track is written into thePL_TK_SRP entry. In more detail, while the DPL_TK_SRP values given inthe Default_Playlist_Information specifies the four TKIs (TKI#4, TKI#5,TKI#6, TKI#7) that compose TrackD, the PL_TK_SRP given in a set ofPlaylist_Information does not need to indicate all four TKIs. For thisreason, PL_TK_SRP#2 in Playlist#3 only indicates TKI#4 out of TKI#4 toTKI#7.

On the other hand, a DPLI including a plurality of DK_TK_SRP has a datasize that is no greater than one sector and is always loaded into theRAM of a playback apparatus. When tracks are played back according to aPlaylist, the playback apparatus refers to the DK_TK_SRPs that areloaded into its RAM and so can search for TKIs at high speed. To playback TKIs (AOBs) using a PL_TK_SRP that only indicates the TKI number ofthe first TKI, a playback apparatus searches the DPL_TK_SRP loaded inits RAM based on the TKI indicated by the PL_TK_SRP and judges whetherthe current track is composed of a plurality of TKI. If so, the playbackapparatus executes the appropriate procedure for playing back all of thecorresponding TKIs (AOBs).

As described above, the Default_Playlist and a plurality of PLIs arewritten in the PlaylistManager. If different playback orders are writtenin the DPL_TKINs and PL_TKINs of the DPL_TK_SRPs and PL_TK_SRPscomposing such playlists, it becomes possible to play back AOBsindifferent orders. By offering a variety of playback orders to the userin this way, the user can be given the impression of there being anumber of music albums stored in the flash memory card 31.

Of special note here is that the data size of the DPL_TK_SRPcorresponding to an AOB file is small (at no more than two bytes), whilethe data size of the TKI corresponding to an AOB file is large (at up to1,024 bytes). When reordering the TKI in the TrackManager, a largenumber of accesses need to be made to the flash memory card 31, but whenthe DPL_TK SRPs are reordered in the Default_Playlist_Information or aPLI, this can be performed with fewer accesses to the flash memory card31.

In view of this, when the navigation data is edited, the order of theDPL_TK_SRPs in the Default_Playlist is actively changed in accordancewith the editing operation, while the order of the TKI in theTrackManager is left unchanged in spite of the editing operation.

{17-9_(—)40-2_(—)43A,B} Reordering of the DPL_TK_SRP

The following describes an editing operation that changes the playbackorder of tracks by reordering the DPL_TK_SRPs in theDefault_PlaylistInformation. FIGS. 43A and 43B show one example of thereordering of tracks. The settings of the DPL_TK_SRPs and TKIs in FIG.43A are the same as in FIG. 40.

In FIG. 40A, the DPL_TKIN in DPL_TK_SRP#3 is set at TKI#3, while theDPL_TKIN in DPL_TK_SRP#8 is set at TKI#8. The following describes thecase when these DPL_TK_SRPs with the thick outlines in FIG. 40A areinterchanged.

The numbers (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) in FIG. 43B show theplayback order of tracks after this editing operation. It should benoted here that while the playback order shown in FIG. 43A is TrackA,TrackB, TrackC, TrackD, TrackE, in FIG. 43B the DPL_TKINs ofDPL_TK_SRP#3 and DPL_TK SRP#8 are interchanged in theDefault_Playlist_Information, so that the tracks will be played back inthe order TrackA, Co TrackB, TrackE, TrackD, TrackC. In this way, theplayback order of tracks can be easily changed by changing the order ofthe DPL_TK_SRPs in the Default_Playlist_Information.

While the above explanation deals with an editing operation that changesthe order of tracks, the following will describe the following fouroperations that were explained with respect to the changes in the TKIS.These operations are a first case (case1) where a track is deleted, asecond case (case2) where a new track is recorded, a third case (case3)where two freely selected tracks are combined to produce a new track,and a fourth case (case4) where a track is divided to produce two newtracks.

{17-9_(—)40-3_(—)44A,B} Deletion of a Track

The following describes case1 where a track is deleted.

FIGS. 44A and 44B show how the Default_Playlist, TrackManager, and AOBfiles are updated when, out of the DefaultPlaylist shown in FIG. 40,DPL_TK_SRP#2 and TKI#2 are deleted. In these drawings, the same part ofan AOB is deleted as in FIG. 27 that was used to describe the deletionof a TKI. As a result, the second, third, and fourth levels in FIGS. 44Aand 44B are the same as in FIG. 27. The difference with FIG. 27 is thatDefault_Playlist_Information including a plurality of DPL_TK_SRPs isgiven on the first level, in the same way as FIG. 40.

The present example deals with the case when the user tit deletes TrackBcomposed of DPL_TK_SRP#2_TKI#2(“AOB002.SA1”) that is shown with thethick outline in FIG. 44A. In this case, DPL_TK_SRP#2 is deleted fromDefault_Playlist_Information and DPL_TK_SRP#3 to DPL_TK_SRP#8 are eachmoved up by one place in the playback order so as to fill the place inthe order freed by the deletion of DPL_TK_SRP#2.

When the DPL_TK_SRPs are moved up in this way, the final DPL_TK_SRP#8 isset as “Unused”. On the other hand, the TKI corresponding to the deletedpart is set as “Unused” as shown in FIGS. 27A and 27B without other TKISbeing moved to fill the gap created by the deletion. Deletion of the TKIis also accompanied by the deletion of the AOB file “AOB002.SA1”.

In this way, DPL_TK_SRPs are moved up in the playback order but TKIs arenot moved, so that in FIG. 44B only the DPL_TKINs in the DPL_TK_SRPs areupdated. For this example, the DPL_TKIN in DPL_TK_SRP#2 is set so as toindicate TKI#3 as shown by the arrow DT11, the DPL_TKIN in DPL_TK_SRP#3is set so as to indicate TKI#4 as shown by the arrow DTl2, the DPL_TKINin DPL_TK_SRP#4 is set so as to indicate TKI#5, and the DPL_TKIN inDPL_TK_SRP#5 is set so as to indicate TKI#6. The DPL_TKIN inDPL_TK_SRP#8 that has been set at “Unused” is set so as to indicateTKI#2, as shown by the arrow DTl3.

When a track is deleted, the DPL_TK_SRP used for following tracks in theplayback order are moved up, while the TKI corresponding to the deletedtrack is set at “Unused” while remaining in its present position. Inthis way, an editing operation is not accompanied by movement of TKIs,which suppresses the processing load when editing tracks.

{17-9_(—)40-4_(—)45A,B} Assignment of TRIS when Recording Tracks

The following describes case2 when a new track is recorded following thepartial deletion of a track. FIGS. 45A and 45B show how an operationthat writes a new TKI and DPL_TK_SRP is performed when an “Unused” TKIand DPL_TK_SRP are present.

These drawings are largely the same as FIGS. 28A and 28B that were usedto explain the assignment of a new TKI to a TKI set at “Unused”. Thesecond, third, and fourth levels in FIGS. 45A and 45B are the same asthe first three levels in FIGS. 28A and 28B. The difference betweenthese drawings is that the first levels in FIGS. 45A and 45B show theDefault_Playlist_Information composed of a plurality of DPL_TK_SRP. InFIG. 45A, the DPL_TK_SRP#4 to DPL_TK_SRP#8 are set as “Unused”. On theother hand, in FIG. 28 the TKI#2, TKI#4, TKI#5, TKI#7, TKI#8 are set as“Unused”.

While TKIs set at “Unused” are present here and there in theTrackManager, the “Unused” DPL_TK_SRPs are positioned next to oneanother in the Default_Playlist_Information. This results from the usedDPL_TK_SRPs being moved up in the Default_Playlist_Information asdescribed above, while no such moving up is performed for TKIS.

The following explanation describes the case when TrackD composed offour AOBs is written. The TKIs for these four AOBs are respectivelywritten into the following “Unused” TKIs in the TrackManager: TKI#2;TKI#4; TKI#7; and TKI#8.

The DPL_TK_SRPs for these four AOBs are written in DPL_TK_SRP#4 toDPL-TK-SRP#7 in the Default_Playlist_Information. Since these four AOBscompose a single track, the DPL_TK_ATR of DPL_TK_SRP#4 is set at“Head_of_Track”, the DPL_TK_ATRs of DPL_TK_SRP#5 and DPL_TK_SRP#6 areset at “Middle_of_Track”, and the DPL_TK_ATR of DPL_TK_SRP#7 is set at“End_of_Track”.

The DPL_TKIN of DPL_TK_SRP#4 is set at TKI#2, the DPL_TKIN ofDPL_TK_SRP#5 at TKI#4, the DPL_TKIN of DPL_TK_SRP#6 at TKI#7, and theDPL_TKIN of DPL_TK_SRP#7 at TKI#8.

By setting the DPL_TKINs and DPL_TK_ATRs in this way, TKI#2, TKI#4,TKI#7 and TKI#8 are managed as the fourth track TrackD.

In the above processing, a write is performed for “Unused” TKIs, thoughthis has no effect on the other TKIs TKI#1, TKI#2, TKI#3, and TKI#4, aswas also the case in FIGS. 28A and 28B.

{17-9_(—)40-5_(—)46A,B} Case3: Combining Tracks

The following describes the updating of the Default_Playlist_Informationwhen tracks are combined (i.e., in case3). FIGS. 46A and 46B show oneexample of the combining of tracks.

These drawings are largely the same as FIGS. 29A and 29B that were usedto explain the combining of TKIs. The second, third, and fourth levelsin FIGS. 46A and 46B are the same as the first two levels in FIGS. 29Aand 29B. The difference between these figures is that the first levelsin FIGS. 46A and 46B show Default_Playlist_Information, in whichDPL_TK_SRP#8 is set at “Unused” and is related to TKI#2 that is also setat “Unused”. When an editing operation combining tracks is performed forAOB files and TKIs as shown in FIGS. 29A and 29B, the contents ofDPL_TK_SRP#3 to DPL_TK SRP#6 are each moved down by one and the contentof DPL_TK_SRP#7 that is shown with the thick outline is copied intoDPL_TK_SRP#3 as shown in FIGS. 46A and 46B. The TKIs are also updated,as shown in FIGS. 29A and 29B.

{17-9_(—)40-6_(—)47A,B} Case4: Division of a Track

The following describes the updating of the Default_Playlist_Informationwhen a track is divided (case4).

FIGS. 47A and 47B show one example of the division of a track. Thesedrawings are largely the same as FIGS. 33A and 33B that were used toexplain the division of TKIs. The second and third levels in FIGS. 47Aand 47B are the same as the first two levels in FIGS. 33A and 33B. Thedifference between these figures is that the first level in FIGS. 47Aand 47B shows Default_Playlist_Information, in which DPL_TK_SRP#8 is setat “Unused” and is related to TKI#2 that is also set at “Unused”.

If, as in FIGS. 33A and 33B, the user indicates the division of TKI#3(“AOB003.SA1”) shown with the thick outline into two, the positions ofDPL_TK_SRP#3 to DPL_TK_SRP#7 are each moved down by one in the order,and a DPL_TK_SRP set at “Unused” is moved within theDefault_PlaylistInformation to the former position of DPL_TK_SRP#3.

This new DPL_TK SRP#3 is associated with the TKI, TKI#2, newly producedby the division. The AOB file “AOB002.SA1” associated with TKI#2 storeswhat was originally the latter part of the AOB file “AOB003.SA1”.DPL_TK_SRP#2 is present before the DPL_TK SRP#3 that is associated withTKI#2 and is associated with TKI#2 and “AOB002.SA1”.

This is to say, “AOB002.SA1” and “AOB003.SA1” respectively store thelatter and former parts of the original “AOB003.SA1”, with theDPL_TK_SRP#2 and DPL_TK_SRP#3 corresponding to these files indicatingthat these AOBs are to be played back in the order “AOB003.SA1” and“AOB002.SA1”. As a result, the latter and former parts of the original“AOB003.SA1” will be played back in the order former part, latter partin accordance with the playback order given in the DPL_TK_SRP.

{17-9_(—)40-8} Application of the Editing Processing

By combining the above four editing processes, a user can perform agreat variety of editing operations. When, for example, a recorded trackhas an intro over which a disc jockey has talked, the user can firstdivide the track to separate the part including the disc jockey's voice.The user can then delete this track to leave the part of the track thatdoes not include the disc jockey.

This completes the explanation of the navigation data. The followingdescribes a playback apparatus with a suitable composition for playingback the navigation data and presentation data described above.

{48-1} External Appearance of the Playback Apparatus

FIG. 48 shows a portable playback apparatus for the flash memory card 31of the present invention. The playback apparatus shown in FIG. 48 has aninsertion slot for inserting the flash memory card 31, a key panel forreceiving user indications for operations such as playback, forwardsearch, backward search, fast forward, rewind, stop, etc., and an LCD(liquid crystal display) panel. In terms of appearance, this playbackapparatus resembles other kinds of portable music players.

The key panel includes:

a “Playlist” key that receives the selection of a playlist or a track;

a “|<<” key that receives a skip operation that moves the playbackposition to a start of the current track;

a “>>|” key that receives a skip operation that moves the playbackposition to a start of the next track;

a “<<” key and a “>>” key that respectively receive a backward searchoperation and a forward search operation enable the user to have theplayback move quickly through the current track;

a “Display” key that receives an operation to have still images storedon the flash memory card 31 displayed;

a “Rec” key that receives a recording operation; an “Audio” key forreceiving user selections of the sampling frequency or of stereo ormonaural to be used;

a “Mark” key that receives user indications that mark positions intracks; and

an “Edit” key that receives user indications for the editing of tracksor for the input of track titles.

{48-2} Movements Made in This Portable Playback Apparatus for the FlashMemory Card 31

The differences between this portable playback apparatus of the flashmemory card 31 and a conventional portable music player lie in thefollowing four improvements (1) to (4)

(1) A list of playlist and tracks is shown on the LCD panel to allow theuser to indicate Default_Playlist_Information, a PLI, or separatetracks.

(2) Keys on the key panel are assigned to the playlists and/or tracksdisplayed on the LCD panel to allow the user to select a track orplaylist that is to be played back or edited.

(3) A time code showing a position in a track is displayed on the LCDpanel 5 when a track is played back.

(4) A jog dial is provided to enable the user to set a time code for useas playback start time when using the time search function or as adivision boundary when dividing a track.

{48-2_(—)49_(—)50} Improvement (2)

The following describes improvement (2) in detail. FIG. 49 shows oneexample of a display screen shown on the LCD panel when the user selectsa playlist, while FIGS. 50A to 50E show examples of the displayedcontent when the user selects a track.

In FIG. 49, the ASCII character strings “DEFAULTPLAYLIST”, “PLAYLIST#1”,“PLAYLIST#2”, “PLAYLIST#3”, and “PLAYLIST#4” represent the defaultplaylist and the four playlists stored in the flash memory card 31.

Meanwhile, the ASCII character strings “Track#1”, “Track#2¹ ₁,“Track#3”, “Track#4”, “Track#5” represent the five tracks that areindicated in the playback order given by the default playlist stored inthe flash memory card 31. In FIGS. 49 and 50A, the highlighted Playlistand track show the track or Playlist that is currently indicated forplayback or editing.

If the user presses the “>>” key when Track#1 is indicated for playbackwithin a playback order given by kill the default Playlist displayed onthe LCD panel, Track#2 will be indicated for playback within the list oftracks, as shown in FIG. 50B. If the user presses the “ ” key again,Track#3 will be indicated for playback within the list of tracks, asshown in FIG. 50C.

If the user presses the “<<” key when Track#3 is indicated for playbackwithin a playback order given by the default Playlist displayed on theLCD panel, Track#2 will be indicated for playback within the list oftracks, as shown in FIG. 50D. As shown in FIG. 50E, if the user pressesthe “Play” key when any of the tracks is indicated, the playback of theindicated track will begin, while if the user presses the “Edit” key,the indicated track will be selected for editing.

{48-3_(—)51} Improvement (4)

The following describes improvement (4) in detail. FIGS. 51A to 51C showan example operation of the jog dial. When the user rotates the jog dialby a certain amount, the playback time code displayed on the LCD panelwill be increased or decreased in accordance with this certain amount.The example in FIG. 51A shows the case where the playback time code thatis initially displayed on the LCD panel is “00:00:20”.

When the user rotates the jog dial counterclockwise as shown in FIG.51B, the playback time code is reduced to “0:00:10” in keeping with theamount by which the jog is dial was rotated. Conversely, when the userrotates the Jog dial clockwise as shown in FIG. 51C, the playback timecode is increased to “0:00:30” in keeping with the amount l”) by whichthe jog dial was rotated.

By allowing the user to change the playback time code in this way, theplayback apparatus enables the user to indicate any playback time codein a track by merely rotating the jog dial. If the user then presses the“Play” key, AOBs will be played back starting from a position foundaccording to Equation 2 and Equation 3.

By using the jog dial during a track dividing operation, the user canmake fine adjustments to the playback time code used as the divisionboundary.

{52-1} Internal Construction of the Playback Apparatus

The following describes the internal construction of the playbackapparatus. This internal construction is shown in FIG. 52.

As shown in FIG. 52, the playback apparatus includes a card connector 1for connecting the playback apparatus to the flash memory card 31, auser interface unit 2 that is connected to the key panel and the jogdial, a RAM 3, a ROM 4, a LCD panel 5 having a list frame for displayinga list of tracks or playlists and a playback time code frame fordisplaying a playback time code, an LCD driver 6 for driving the firstLCD panel 5, a descrambler 7 for decrypting AOB_FRAMEs using a differentFileKey for each AOB file, an AAC decoder 8 for referring to the ADTS ofan AOB_FRAME descrambled by the descrambler 7 and decoding the AOB_FRAMEto obtain PCM data, a D/A converter 9 for D/A converting the PCM dataand outputting the resulting analog signals to a speaker or headphonejack, and a CPU 10 for performing overall control over the playbackapparatus.

As can be understood from this hardware construction, the presentplayback apparatus has no special hardware elements for processing theTrackManager and Default_Playlist_Information. To process theTrackManager and Default_Playlist_Information, a DPLI holding area 11, aPLI storing area 12, a TKI storing area 13, a FileKey storing area 14,and a double buffer 15 are provided in the RAM 3, while a playbackcontrol program and an editing control program are stored in the ROM 4.

{52-2} DPLI Holding Area 11

The DPLI holding area 11 is an area for continuously holdingDefault_Playlist_Information that has been read from a flash memory card31 connected to the card connector 1.

{52_(—)12} PLI Storing Area 12

The PLI storing area 12 is an area that is reserved for storingPlaylist_Information that has been selected for playback by the user.

{52-3} TKI Storing Area 13

The TKI storing area 13 is an area that is reserved for storing only theTKI corresponding to the AOB file that is currently indicated forplayback, out of the plurality of TKI included in the TrackManager. Forthis reason, the capacity of the TKI storing area 13 is equal to thedata size of one TKI.

{52-4} FileKey Storing Area 14

The FileKey storing area 14 is an area that is reserved for storing onlythe FileKey corresponding to the AOB file that is currently indicatedfor playback, out of the plurality of FileKeys included in “AOBSA1.KEY”in the authentication region.

{52-5} Double Buffer 15

The double buffer 15 is an input/output buffer that is used when aninput process, which successively inputs cluster data (data that isstored in one cluster) read from the flash memory card 31, and an outputprocess, which reads AOB_FRAMEs from cluster data and successively,outputs the AOB_FRAMEs to the descrambler 7, are performed in parallel.

The double buffer 15 successively frees the regions that were occupiedby cluster data that has been outputted as AOB_FRAMEs and so securesregions for storing the next clusters to be read. This is to say,regions in the double buffer 15 are cyclically secured for storingcluster data using ring pointers.

{52-5_(—)53_(—)54A,B} Input and Output by the Double Buffer 15

FIG. 53 shows how input and output are performed for the double buffer15. FIGS. 54A and 54B show how regions in the double buffer 15 arecyclically secured for storing cluster data using a ring pointer.

The arrows pointing downward and to the left are pointers to writeaddresses for cluster data, which is to say, the write pointer. Thearrows pointing upward and to the left are pointers to read addressesfor cluster data, which is to say, the read pointer. These pointers areused as the ring pointer.

{54-6_(—)53}

When a flash memory card 31 is connected to the card connector 1,cluster data in the user region of the flash memory card 31 is read outand stored in the double buffer 15 as shown by the arrows w1 and w2.

The read cluster data is successively stored into the positions in thedouble buffer 15 shown by the write pointers wp1 and wp2.

{52-7_(—)54A}

Of the AOB_Frames included in the cluster data stored in this way, theAOB_Frames present at the positions {circle around (1)}{circle around(2)}{circle around (3)}{circle around (4)}{circle around (5)}{circlearound (6)}{circle around (7)}{circle around (8)}{circle around (9)}that are successively indicated by the read pointer are outputted one ata time to the descrambler 7 as shown by the arrows r1, r2, r3, r4, r5.

In the present case, the cluster data 002 and 003 are stored in thedouble buffer 15 and the read positions {circle around (1)}{circlearound (2)}{circle around (3)}{circle around (4)} are successivelyindicated by the read pointer, as shown in FIG. 53. When the readpointer reaches the read position {circle around (5)}, all of theAOB_FRAMEs included in cluster 002 will have been read, so that cluster004 is read and, as shown by the arrow w6 in FIG. 54A, is overwritteninto the region that was previously occupied by cluster 002.

{52-8_(—)54B}

The read pointer then advances to the read positions {circle around (6)}and {circle around (7)}, and eventually reaches the read position{circle around (9)}, at which point all of the AOB_FRAMEs included incluster 003 will have been read, so that cluster 005 is read and, asshown by the arrow w7 in FIG. 54B, is overwritten into the region thatwas previously occupied by cluster 003.

The output of an AOB_FRAME and the overwriting of cluster data arerepeatedly performed as described above, so that the AOB_FRAMEs includedin an AOB file are all successively outputted to the descrambler 7 andAAC decoder 8.

{52-9_(—)55-58} Playback Control Program Stored in the ROM 4

The following describes the playback control program stored in the ROM4.

FIG. 55 is a flowchart showing the processing in the AOB file readingprocedure. FIGS. 56, 57, and 58 are flowcharts showing the processing inthe AOB_FRAME output procedure.

{52-9_(—)55-1}

These flowcharts use the variables w, z, y, and x. The variable windicates one of the plurality of DPL_TL_SRPs. The variable z indicatesan AOB file recorded in the user region, the TKI corresponding to thisAOB file, and the AOB included in this AOB file. The variable yindicates an AOB_ELEMENT included in the AOB#z indicated by the variablez. The variable x indicates an AOB_FRAME included in the AOB_ELEMENT#yindicated by the variable y. The following first explains the processingin the AOB file read procedure, with reference to FIG. 55.

{52-9_(—)55-2}

In step S1, the CPU 10 reads the PlaylistManager and displays a listincluding the Default_Playlist_Information and the PLIs.

In step S2, the CPU 10 waits for an indication to play back AOBs inaccordance with either the Default_Playlist_Information or one of thePLIs.

When the Default_Playlist_Information is indicated, the processing movesfrom step S2 to step S3 where the variable w is initialized (#wet) andthen to step S4 where the TKI#z indicated by the DPL_TKIN correspondingto DPL_TK_SRP#w in the Default_Playlist_Information is specified andonly this TKI#z is read from the flash memory card 31 and stored intothe TKI storing area 13.

In step S5, an AOB file#z with the same number as TKI#z is specified. Inthis way, the AOB file that is to be played back is finally specified.

The specified AOB file is in an encrypted state and needs to bedecrypted, so that steps S6 and S7 are performed. In step S6, theplayback apparatus accesses the authentication region and reads theFileKey#z that is stored in a FileKey_Entry#z in the encryption keystoring file, the FileKey_Entry#z having the same number as thespecified AOB file. In step S7, the CPU 10 sets the FileKey#z in thedescrambler 7. This operation results in the FileKey being set in thedescrambler 7, so that by successively inputting In AOB_FRAMEs includedin the AOB file into the descrambler 7, the AOB_FRAMEs can besuccessively played back.

{52-9_(—)55-3}

After this, the playback apparatus successively reads the clusters thatstore the AOB file. In step S8, the “first cluster number in the file”is specified for the AOB_file#z in the directory entry. In step S9, theCPU 10 reads the data stored in this cluster from the flash memory card31. In step S10, the CPU 10 judges whether the cluster number in the FATvalue is “FFF”. If not, in step S11 the CPU reads the data stored in thecluster indicated by the FAT value, before returning to step S10.

When the playback apparatus reads the data stored in any of the clustersand refers to the FAT value corresponding to this cluster, theprocessing in steps S10 and S11 will be repeated so long as the FATvalue is not set at “FFF”. This results in the playback apparatussuccessively reading clusters indicated by the FAT values. When thecluster number given by a FAT value is “FFF”, this means that all of theclusters composing the AOB file#z have been read, so that the processingadvances from step S10 to step S12.

{52-9_(—)55-4}

In step S12, the CPU 10 judges whether the variable#w matches the totalnumber of DPL_TK_SRPs. If not, the processing advances to step S13,where the variable#w is incremented (#w←#w+1) before the processingreturns to step S4. In step S4, the playback apparatus specifies TKI#zwhich is indicated by the DPL_TKIN#w of DPL_TK_SRP#w in theDefault_Playlist_Information, and writes only TKI#z into the TKI storingarea 13. The TKI that was used up to this point will be still stored inthe TKI storing area 13, though this current TKI will be overwritten byTKI#z that is newly read by the CPU 10.

This overwriting results in only the latest TKI being stored in the TKIstoring area 13. Once the TKI has been overwritten, the processing insteps S5 to Sl2 is repeated for the AOB file#z. Once this processing hasread all of the TKI and AOB files corresponding to all of theDPL_TK_SRPs included in the Default_Playlist_Information, the variable#z will match the total number of DPL_TK_SRP so that the judgement “Yes”is given in step S12 and the processing in this flowchart ends.

{52-9_(—)56_(—)57_(—)58} Output Processing for an AOB_FRAME

In parallel with the AOB file reading procedure, the CPU 10 performs theAOB_FRAME output procedure in accordance with the flowcharts shown inFIGS. 56, 57, and 58. In these flowcharts, the variable “play_time”shows how long playback has been performed for a current track, which isto say, the playback time code. The time displayed in the playback timecode frame on the LCD panel 5 is updated in —accordance with changes tothis playback time code. Meanwhile, the variable “play_data” representsthe length of the data has been played back for the current track.

{52-9_(—)56-1}

In step S21, the CPU 10 monitors whether cluster data for the AOB file#zhas accumulated in the double buffer 15. This step S21 will berepeatedly performed until cluster data has accumulated, at which pointthe processing advances to step S22 where the variables x and y areinitialized (#x←1, #y←1). After this, in step S23 the CPU 10 searchesthe clusters for AOB file #z and detects the AOB_FRAME#x in theAOB_ELEMENT#y that is positioned no earlier than the Data_Offset givenin the BIT#z included in TKI#z. In this example, it is assumed that theseven bytes starting from the SZ_DATA are occupied by the ADTS header.By referring to the ADTS header, the data length indicated by the ADTSheader can be recognized as audio data. The audio data and ADTS headerare read together and are outputted to the descrambler 7. Thedescrambler 7 decrypts the AOB_FRAMEs, which are then decoded by the AACdecoder 8 and reproduced as audio.

{52-9_(—)56-2}

After this detection, in step S24 the AOB_FRAME#x is outputted to thedescrambler 7, and instep S25 the variable play_time is incremented bythe playback period of the AOB_FRAME#x and the variable play_data isincremented the amount of data corresponding the AOB_FRAME#x. Since theplayback time of AOB_FRAME is 20 msec in the present case, 20 msec isadded to the variable “play_time”.

Once the first AOB_FRAME has been outputted to the descrambler 7, instep S26 the playback apparatus refers to the ADTS header of AOB_FRAME#xand specifies where the next AOB_FRAME is. In step S27, the playbackapparatus increments the variable#x (#x+#x+1) and sets AOB_FRAME#x asthe next AOB_FRAME. In step S28, AOB_FRAME#x is inputted into thedescrambler 7. After this, in step S29, the variable play_time isincremented by the playback period of the AOB_FRAME#x and the variableplay_data is incremented the amount of data corresponding theAOB_FRAME#x. After incrementing AOB_FRAME#x, in step S30 the CPU 10judges whether the variable #x has reached the value given inFNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE.

If the variable #x has not reached the value in FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE, instep S31 the playback apparatus checks whether the user has pressed anykey aside from the “Play” key, and then returns to step S26. Theplayback apparatus hereafter repeats the processing in steps S26 to S31until the variable #x reaches the value in FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE or untilthe user presses any key aside from the “Play” key.

When the user presses a key aside from the “Play” key, the processing inthis flowchart ends and suitable processing for the pressed key isperformed. When the pressed key is the “Stop” key, the playbackprocedure stops, while when the pressed key is the “Pause” key, theplayback is paused.

{52-9_(—)57-1}

On the other hand, when the variable #x reaches the value inFNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE, the judgement “Yes” is made in step S30, and theprocessing proceeds to step S32 in FIG. 57. Since all of the AOB_FRAMEsincluded in the present AOB_ELEMENT will have been inputted into thedescrambler 7 in the processing between step S26 to S30, in step S32 thevariable #y is incremented to set the next AOB_ELEMENT as the data to beprocessed and the variable #x is initialized (#y←#y+1, #x←1).

After this, in step S33 the playback apparatus refers to the TKTMSRT andcalculates the first address of the AOB_ELEMENT#y.

The playback apparatus then performs the procedure made up of steps S34to S42. This procedure reads the AOB_FRAMEs included in an AOB_ELEMENTone after another, and so can be said to resemble the procedure made upof steps S24 to S31. The difference with the procedure made up of stepsS24 to S31 is the condition by which the procedure made up of steps S24to S31 ends is whether the variable #x has reached the value shown by“FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE”, while the condition by which procedure made up ofsteps S34 to S42 ends is whether the variable #x has reached the valueshown by “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”.

When the variable #x reaches the value shown by “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”, theloop procedure made up of steps S34 to S42 ends, the judgement “Yes” isgiven in step S41 and the processing advances to step S43. In step S43,the CPU 10 increments the variable #y and initializes the variable #x(#y←#y+1, #x←1). After this, in step S44 the variable y judges whetherthe variable #y has reached a value that is equal to one less than theTotalTMSRT_entry_Number in the TMSRT_Header in the TKI#z.

When the variable #y is lower than (TotalTMSRT_entry_Number-l), theAOB_ELEMENT#y is not the final AOB_ELEMENT, so that the processingreturns from step S44 to step S32 and the loop procedure of step S32 tostep S42 is performed. When the variable #y reaches(TotalTMSRT_entry_Number-1) the read procedure can be assumed to haveproceeded as far as the penultimate AOB_ELEMENT, so that the judgement“Yes” is given in step S44 and the processing advances to step S45 inFIG. 58.

{52-9_(—)57-2}

The procedure composed of steps S45 to S54 resembles the procedurecomposed of steps S33 to S42 in that each of the AOB_FRAMEs in the finalAOB_ELEMENT are read.

The difference with the procedure composed of steps S33 to S42 is thatwhile the loop procedure composed of steps S33 to S42 ends when it isjudged in step S41 that the variable #x has reached the value in“FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”₁ the loop procedure composed of steps S45 to S54ends when it is judged in step S53 that the variable #x has reached thevalue in “FNs_Last_TMSRTE” and the variable play_data showing the sizeof the data that has hitherto been read has reached the value given as“SZ_DATA”.

The procedure composed of steps S49 to S54 is repeated until theconditions in step S53 are satisfied, at which point the judgement “Yes”is given in step S53 and the processing advances to step S55. In stepS55, the CPU 10 increments the variable #z (#z#z+1) before theprocessing returns to step S21 where the CPU 10 waits for the next 4)AOB file to accumulate in the double buffer 15. Once this happens, theprocessing advances to step S22 and the procedure composed of steps S22to step S54 is repeated. This means that the TKI indicated by theDPL_TKIN of the next DPL_TK_SRP is specified and the AOB filecorresponding to this TKI, which is to say, the AOB file with the samenumber as the TKI, is specified.

After this, the playback apparatus accesses the authentication regionand specifies the FileKey, out of the FileKeys in the encryption keystoring file, that has the same number as the TKI, before reading thisFileKey and setting it in the descrambler 7. As a result, the AOB_FRAMEsincluded in the AOB file having the same number as the TKI aresuccessively read and played back.

{52-9_(—)57-3_(—)59} Updating of the Playback Time Code

FIGS. 59A to 59D show how the playback time code displayed in theplayback time code display frame of the LCD panel 5 is increased inaccordance with the updating of the variable playtime. In FIG. 59A, theplayback time code is “00:00:00.000”, though when the playback ofAOB_FRAME#1 ends, the playback period 20 msec of AOB_FRAME#1 is added tothe playback time code to update it to “00:00:00.020”, as shown in FIG.59B. When the playback of AOB_FRAME#2 ends, the playback period 20 msecof AOB_FRAME#2 is added to the playback time code to update it to“00:00:00.040”, as shown in FIG. 59C. In the same way, when the playbackof AOB_FRAME#6 ends, the playback period 20 msec of AOB_FRAME#6 is addedto the playback time code to update it to “00:00:00.120”, as shown inFIG. 59D.

This completes the description of the AOB_FRAME output procedure.

In step S31 of the flowchart in FIG. 56, if the user presses a key asidefrom the “Play” key, the processing in this flowchart is terminated. Theprocessing that accompanies a pressing of “Stop” or “Pause” key hasalready been described, though when the user presses one of the keysprovided to have the playback apparatus perform special playback, theprocessing in this flowchart, or in the flowcharts shown in FIG. 56, 57,or 58 is terminated and suitable processing for the pressed key isperformed.

The following describes the procedure executed by the CPU 10 (1) whenperforming the forward search function in response to the user pressingthe “>>” key and (2) when performing the time search function inresponse to the user operating the jog dial after pressing the “Pause”or “Stop” key.

{52-10_(—)60} Forward Search Function

FIG. 60 is a flowchart showing the procedure executed by the CPU 10 whenperforming the forward search function. When the user presses the “>>”key, the judgement “Yes” is given in step S31, step S42 or step S54 inthe flowcharts in FIGS. 56, 57 and 58 and the CPU 10 performs theprocessing in the flowchart of FIG. 60.

In step S61, the AOB_FRAMEs #x to #(x+f(t)−1) are inputted into thedescrambler 7. Here “t” represents the intermittent playback period,f(t) represents the number of frames corresponding to the intermittentplayback period, and d(t) represents the amount of data corresponding tothe intermittent playback period. In step S62, the variable play_timeshowing the playback elapsed time, and the variable play_data showingthe playback data amount are respectively updated using intermittentplayback period “t”, the number of frames f (t) corresponding tointermittent playback period, and the amount of data d (t) correspondingto the intermittent playback period (x←x+f(t), play_time←play_time+t,play_data←play_data+d(t)). Note that the intermittent playback periodwill generally be 240 msec (equivalent to the playback period of twelveAOB_FRAMEs).

{52-10_(—)60-1_(—)61A,B}

FIGS. 61A and 61B show the incrementing of the playback time code duringa forward search operation. FIG. 61A shows the initial value of theplayback time code, with the playback point being the AOB_FRAME#1 inAOB_ELEMENT#51.

The playback time code in this case is “00:00:01.000”. When the first totwelve AOB_FRAMEs have been inputted into the descrambler 7 as theintermittent playback period, the playback period of twelve AOB_FRAMEs(i.e., 240 msec) is added to the playback time code so that the playbacktime code becomes “00:00:01.240”, as shown in FIG. 61B.

{52-10_(—)60-2}

After this updating, in step S63 the CPU 10 compares the incrementedvariable #x with the total number of frames in AOB_ELEMENT#y and judgeswhether the incremented variable #x is within the total number of framesin AOB_ELEMENT#y.

As mentioned earlier, the number of frames in an AOB_ELEMENT positionedat the start of an AOB is “FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE”, the number of frames inan AOB_ELEMENT positioned in a central part of an AOB is“FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”, and the number of frames in an AOB_ELEMENTpositioned at the end of an AOB is “FNs_Last_TMSRTE”.

The CPU 10 performs the above judgement by comparing an appropriate oneof these values with the variable #x. When the variable x is not withinthe present AOB_ELEMENT#y, the CPU 10 then judges in step S64 whetherthere is an AOB_ELEMENT that follows the AOB_ELEMENT#y.

When the AOB_ELEMENT#y is the final AOB_ELEMENT in an AOB_BLOCK, therewill be no AOB_ELEMENT that follows the AOB_ELEMENT#y, so that thejudgement “No” is given in step S64 and the processing in the presentflowchart ends. Conversely, when an AOB_ELEMENT that follows theAOB_ELEMENT#y exists, instep S65 the variable #x is reduced by thenumber of AOB_FRAMEs in the AOB_ELEMENT#y and in step S66 the variable#yis updated (#y-#y+1). As a result, the variable#x will now indicate theframe position of a frame in the next AOB_ELEMENT#y indicated by theupdated variable #y. Conversely, when the variable #x indicates anAOB_FRAME that is present in the current AOB_ELEMENT (S63:Yes), theprocessing in steps S64-S66 is skipped and the processing advances tostep S67.

{52-10_(—)60-3}

After this, the variables #x, playtime, and play_data are updated inaccordance with the intermittent skip period. The period “skip_time”that is equivalent to the intermittent skip period is two seconds, thenumber of frames that are equivalent to this skip_time is given asf(skip_time) and the amount of data that is equivalent to this skip_timeis given as d(skip_time). In step S67, these values are used to updatethe variables #x, play_time, and play_data (#x #x+f(skip_time),play_time_play_time+skip_time, and play_data# play_data+d(skip_time)).

{52-10_(—)60-4_(—)61C}

As shown in FIG. 61C, the intermittent skip period is added to thevariable#x showing a frame position within the AOB_ELEMENT#51. When theupdated variable #x exceeds the number of frames in AOB_ELEMENT#51, thevariable #y is updated to indicate the next AOB_ELEMENT and the numberof frames in the AOB_ELEMENT#51 is subtracted from the variable #x. As aresult, the variable#x will now indicate a frame position within theAOB_ELEMENT#52 indicated by the updated variable by. The value 2.000 (=2sec) is then added to the present value “00:00:01.240” of the playbacktime code so that it becomes “00:00:03.240”. The variable #x is updatedby calculating (3240 msec-2000 msec)/20 msec) to give the value “62”,and so indicates the AOB_FRAME#62 in the AOB_ELEMENT#52.

{52-10_(—)60-5_(—)61(d)}

Once the AOB_FRAME#62 in the AOB_ELEMENT#52 has been inputted into thedescrambler 7, the playback time code is updated as shown in FIG. 61D byadding “0.240” to the present value of “00:00:03.240” to give“00:00:03.480”.

In step S67, the variables are updated in accordance with theintermittent skip time and then the processing in steps S68 to S71 areperformed. This processing in steps S68 to S71 is the same as theprocessing in steps S63 to S66 and so updates the variable #x by anumber of frames that is equivalent to the intermittent skip time“skip_time”, before checking whether the variable#x still indicates anAOB_FRAME within the present AOB_ELEMENT#y. If not, the variable #y isupdated so that the next AOB_ELEMENT is set as the AOB_ELEMENT#y and thevariable#x is converted so as to indicate a frame position in this nextAOB_ELEMENT.

Once the variables #x and #y have been in accordance with theintermittent playback time and intermittent skip time, in step S72 theCPU 10 refers to the TKTMSRT and calculates the start address for theAOB_ELEMENT#y. Then, in step S73, the CPU 10 starts to search for anADTS header starting from the start address of the AOB_ELEMENT#y todetect the AOB_FRAME#x. In step S74, the CPU 10 judges whether the userhas pressed any key aside from the forward search key. If not, theAOB_FRAMEs from the AOB_FRAME#x to the AOB_FRAME#x+f (t)−1 are inputtedinto the descrambler 7, and the processing in steps S62 to S73 isrepeated.

The above procedure increments the variables #x and #y that indicate theAOB_FRAME#x and AOB_ELEMENT#y, and so advances the playback position.After this, if the user presses the “Play” key, the judgement “No” isgiven in FIG. 74 and the processing in the present flowchart ends.

{52-11} Execution of the Time Search Function

The following describes the processing performed when the time searchfunction is used. First, the tracks in the Default_Playlist_Informationare displayed and the user indicates a desired track. When this trackhas been indicated and the user has operated the jog dial, the playbacktime code is updated. If the user then presses the “Play” key, theplayback time code at that point is used to set a value in the variable“Jmp_Entry” in seconds.

A judgement is then made as to whether the indicated track is composedof a plurality of AOBs or a single AOB. When the track is composed of asingle AOB, the variables #y and #x are calculated so as to satisfyEquation 2. After this, a search for the AOB_FRAME#x is started from theaddress in the (y+2) th position in the TKTMSRT corresponding to thisAOB. Once this AOB_FRAME#x has been found, playback starts fromAOB_FRAME#x.

{52-12}

When the track is composed of a plurality of AOBs, the variables #n(indicating an AOB), #y and #x are calculated so as to satisfy Equation3. After this, a search for the AOB_FRAME#x is started from the addressin the (y+2)^(th) position in the TKTMSRT corresponding to AOB#n. Oncethis AOB_FRAME#x has been found, playback starts from AOB_FRAME#x.

The following describes the case when playback is At commenced from anarbitrary position with an AOB where the “FNs_(—)1st_TMSRTE” in the BITis “180 frames”, “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE” in the BIT is “94 frames”, and the“FNs_Last_TMSRTE” in the BIT is “50 frames”.

{52-13_(—)62A,B}

As one specific example of when the time search function is used, thefollowing describes how the AOB_ELEMENT and frame position from whichplayback should start are specified when a playback time code isindicated using the jog dial.

As shown in FIG. 62A, the user holds the playback apparatus in his/herhand and rotates the jog dial with his/her right thumb to indicate theplayback time code “00:04:40.000 (=280 sec)”. When the BIT in the TKIfor this AOB is as shown in FIG. 62B, Equation 2 is used as follows

280sec=(FNs _(—)1st _(—) TMSRTE+(FNs_Middle_(—) TMSRTE*y)+x)*20msec=(80+(94*148)+8)*20 msec

so that the Equation 2 is satisfied for the values y=148 and x=8.

Since y=148, the entry address of the AOB_ELEMENT#150 (=148+2) isobtained from the TKTMSRT. Playback from the indicated playback timecode 00:04:40.000(=280.00 sec) can then be performed by starting theplayback at the eighth AOB_FRAME from this entry address.

{52-14_63_(—)64_(—)65}

This completes the explanation of the processing of the CPU 10 inresponse to the user pressing the “Play” key. The following describesthe editing control program stored in the ROM 4. This editing controlprogram is executed when the user presses the “Edit” key, and containsthe procedures shown in FIGS. 63, 64, and 65. The following describesthe processing in this program with the flowcharts shown in thesedrawings.

{52-14_(—)63-1} Editing Control Program

When the user presses the “Edit” key, an interactive screen is displayedin step S101 in FIG. 63 to ask the user which of the three fundamentalediting operations “deletion”, “division” and “combining” is to beperformed. In step S102, the CPU 10 judges what operation has been madeby the user in response to the interactive screen. In the presentexample, it is assumed that the “|<<” and “>>|” keys on the key panelare also used as indicating “Up” and “Down” cursor operations, (i.e.,these keys are used as “Up” and “Down” cursor keys). When the userindicates a “deletion” operation, the processing proceeds to the loopprocedure composed of steps S103 and S104.

In step S103, the CPU 10 judges whether the user has pressed the “|<<”or “>>|” key. In step S104, the CPU 10 judges whether the user haspressed the “Edit” key. When the user has pressed the “|<<” or “>>|”key, the processing advances from step S103 to S105, where the indicatedtrack is set as the track to be edited. On the other hand, when the userhas pressed the “Edit” key, the indicated track is set as a track to bedeleted. The processing shown in FIG. 44 is executed, so that theTKI_BLK_ATR of each TKI for the indicated track is set at “Unused” todelete the indicated track.

{52-14_(—)63-2} Combining Process

When the user selects the combining process, the processing proceedsfrom step S102 to the loop procedure composed of steps S107 to S109. Inthe loop procedure composed of steps S107 to S109, the playbackapparatus receives user inputs via the “|<<”, “>>|”, and “Edit” keys.When the user presses the |”<<” or “>>|” key, the processing advancesfrom step S107 to step S110 where the indicated track is highlighted onthe display. When the user presses the “Edit” key, the judgement “Yes”is given in step S108 and the processing advances to step S111. In stepS111, the currently indicated track is set as the first track to be usedin this editing process and the processing returns to the loop procedurecomposed of steps S107 to S109.

When a second track has been selected for editing, the judgement “Yes”is given in step S109, and the processing advances to step S112. In stepS112, the CPU 110 refers to the BITs in the TKIs of the former and thelatter tracks and judges what kind of AOBs (Type1 or Type2) are presentat the respective start and end of each of these tracks and tracks oneither side of these tracks, if present.

After identifying the type of each relevant AOB, in step S113 the CPU 10judges whether the arrangement of AOBs matches a certain pattern. Whenthe arrangement of AOBs matches one of the four patterns shown in FIG.32A to 32D where it is clear that three Type2 AOBs will not be presentconsecutively after the combining, the former and latter tracks arecombined into a single track in step S115.

In the other words, the operation shown in FIG. 46 is performed for theTKI and DPL_TK_SRP corresponding to these AOBs. By rewriting theTKI_BLK_ATRs in the TKIs, the plurality of tracks selected for editingare combined into a single track. When the arrangement of AOBs does notmatch any of the patterns in FIGS. 32A to 32D, meansing that there willbe three or more Type2 AOBs after the combining, the CPU 10 judges thatthe combined track may cause a buffer underflow and so terminates thecombining process.

{52-14_(—)64-1} Track Division Process

When the user indicates that a track is to be divided, the processingadvances from step S102 to the loop procedure composed of steps S116 toS117. In the loop procedure composed of steps S116 to S117, the playbackapparatus receives user inputs via the “|<<”, “>>|”, and “Edit” keys.

When the user presses the “|<<” or “>>|” key, the processing advancesfrom step S116 to step S118 where the indicated track is set as thetrack to be edited. When the user presses the “Edit” key, the judgement“Yes” is given in step S117 and the processing advances to step S119.

In step S119, the indicated track is determined as the track to beedited and the processing advances to step S120 where the playback ofthis track is commenced. In step S121, the playback apparatus receives auser input via the “Mark” key.

When the user presses the “Mark” key, the playback of the track ispaused and the processing advances to the loop procedure composed ofsteps S122 and S123. In step S122, the playback apparatus receives useroperations made via the jog dial. When the user rotates the jog dial,the playback time code is updated in step S124 in accordance with therotation of the jog dial.

After this, the loop procedure composed of steps S122 and S123 isrepeated. If the user presses the “Edit” key, the processing proceedsfrom step S123 to step S125, where the playback time code displayed whenthe user pressed the “Edit” key is set as the division boundary. Notethat an “Undo” function may be provided for this setting of the divisionboundary to allow the user to invalidate the selected division boundary.

After this, the processing explained with reference to FIG. 47 isexecuted in step S126 to update the DPLI and TKI so as to divide theselected track.

{52-14_(—)65-1} Process Setting a Playlist

When the user chooses to set a Playlist, the processing switches to theprocedure shown by the flowchart in FIG. 65. In this flowchart, thevariable k given in this flowchart is used to indicate the position of atrack in the playback order given by the Playlist that is being edited.The flowchart in FIG. 65 starts with this variable k being initializedto “1” in step S131, before the processing advances to the loopprocedure composed of steps S132 to S134.

In the loop procedure composed of steps S132 to S134, the playbackapparatus receives user operations made via the “|<<”, “>>|”, “Edit”,and “Stop” keys. When the user presses the “|<<” or “>>|” key, theprocessing advances from step S132 to step S135 where a new track isindicated in accordance with the pressing of the “|<<” or “>>|” key. Ifthe user presses the “Edit” key, the judgement “Yes” is given in stepS133 and the processing advances to step S136.

In step S136, the track indicated when the user presses the “Edit” keyis selected as the kth track in the playback order. After this, in stepS137 the variable k is incremented and the processing returns to theloop procedure composed of steps S132 to S134. This procedure isrepeated so that the second, third and fourth tracks are successivelyselected. If the user presses the “Stop” key have specified severaltracks that are to be played back in the specified order as a newPlaylist, the processing advances from step S134 to step S138 where aPLI composed of PL_TK_SRPs that specify the TKIs corresponding to thesetracks is generated.

{66-1} Recording Apparatus

The following describes one example of a recording apparatus for theflash memory card 31. FIG. 66 shows one example of a recordingapparatus. This recording apparatus can be connected to the Internet,and is a standard personal computer that can perform reception when anencrypted SD-Audio directory is sent via communication lines to therecording apparatus by an electronic music distribution service, or whenan audio data transport stream is sent via communication lines to therecording apparatus by an electronic music distribution service.

{67-1} Hardware Composition of the Recording Apparatus

FIG. 67 shows the hardware composition of the present recordingapparatus.

As shown in FIG. 67, the recording apparatus includes a card connector21 for connecting the recording apparatus to the flash memory card 31, aRAM 22, a non-removable disk apparatus 23 for storing a recordingcontrol program that performs overall control over the recordingapparatus, an A/D converter 24 that A/D converts audio inputted via amicrophone to produce PCM data, an ACC encoder 25 for encoding the PCMdata in units of a fixed time and assigning ADTS headers to produceAOB_FRAMEs, a scrambling unit 26 for encrypting the AOB_FRAMEs using adifferent FileKey for each AOB_BLOCK, a modem apparatus 27 for receivingan audio data transport stream when an encrypted SD-Audio directory issent via communication lines to the recording apparatus by an electronicmusic distribution service, or when an audio data transport stream issent via communication lines to the recording apparatus by an electronicmusic distribution service, a CPU 28 for performing overall control overthe recording apparatus, a keyboard 29 for in receiving inputs made bythe user, and a display 30.

{67-2} Input Circuits RT1 to RT4

When an encrypted SD-Audio directory, which is to be written in the dataregion and the authentication region, is sent via communication lines tothe recording apparatus by an electronic music distribution service, therecording apparatus can write the encrypted SD-Audio directory into thedata region and authentication region of the flash memory card 31 assoon as the encrypted SD-Audio directory has been properly received.

However, (1) when an audio data transport stream that is not in the formof SD-Audio directory is sent to the recording apparatus by anelectronic music distribution service, (2) when data is inputted intothe recording apparatus in PCM format, or (3) when analog audio isrecorded by the recording apparatus, the recording apparatus uses thefollowing four input routes to write an audio data transport stream ontothe flash memory card 31.

As shown in FIG. 67, the four input routes RT1, RT2, RT3, and RT4 areused to input an audio data transport stream when an audio datatransport stream is stored in the flash memory card 31.

{67-3} Input Route RT1

The input route RT1 is used when an encrypted SD-Audio directory is sentvia communication lines to the recording apparatus by an electronicmusic distribution service, or when an audio data transport stream issent via communication lines to the recording apparatus by an electronicmusic distribution service. In this case, the AOB_FRAMEs included in thetransport stream are encrypted so that a different FileKey is used forthe AOB_FRAMEs in different AOBs. Since there is no need to encrypt orencode an encrypted transport stream, the SD-Audio directory or audiodata transport stream can be stored directly into the RAM 22 in itsencrypted state.

{67-41} Input Route RT2

Input route RT2 is used when audio is inputted via a microphone. In thiscase, the audio inputted via the microphone is subjected to A/Dconversion by the A/D converter 24 to produce PCM Data. The PCM data isthen encoded by the AAC encoder 25 and assigned ADTS headers to produceAOB_FRAMEs. After this, the scrambling unit 26 encrypts the AOB_FRAMEsusing a different FileKey for each AOB_FRAMEs in different AOB_FILEs toproduce encrypted audio data. After this, the encrypted audio data isstored in the RAM 22.

{67-5} Input Route RT3

Input route RT3 is used when PCM data read from a CD is inputted intothe recording apparatus. Since data is inputted in PCM format, the datacan be inputted as it is into the AAC encoder 25. This PCM data isencoded by the ACC encoder 25 and assigned ADTS headers to produceAOB_FRAMEs.

After this, the scrambling unit 26 encrypts the AOB_FRAMEs using adifferent FileKey for the AOB_FRAMEs in different AOBs to produceencrypted audio data. After this, the encrypted audio data is stored inthe RAM 22.

{67-6} Input Route RT4

The input route RT4 is used when a transport stream inputted via one ofthe three input routes RT1, RT2, and RT3 is written into the flashmemory card 31.

This storing of audio data is accompanied by the generation of TKIs andDefault_Playlist Information. In the same way as the playback apparatus,the main functioning of the recording apparatus is stored in the ROM.This is to say, a recording program that includes the characteristicprocessing of the recording apparatus, which is to say, the recording ofAOBs, the TrackManager, and the PlaylistManager, is stored in thenon-removable disk apparatus 23.

{67-7_(—) 68} Processing of the Recording Apparatus

The following describes the processing in the recording procedure thatwrites a transport stream in the flash memory card 31 via the inputroutes RT1, RT2, RT3 and RT4, with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 68that shows this processing.

The variables “Frame_Number” and “Data_Size” used in this flowchart areas follows. The variable Frame_Number is used to manage the total numberof AOB FRAMEs that have already been recorded in an AOB_FILE. Thevariable Data_Size is used to manage the data size of the AOB_FRAMEsthat have already been recorded in the AOB_FILE.

The processing in this flowchart starts in step S200 with the CPU 28generating the DefaultPlaylist and the TrackManager. In step S201, theCPU 28 initializes the variable #z (z+1). In step S202, the CPU 28generates the AOB_FILE#z and stores it in the data region of the flashmemory card 31, At this point, the filename, filename extension, andfirst cluster number for the AOB_FILE#z will be set in a directory entryin the SD_Audio Directory in the data region. After this, in step S203,the CPU 28 generates TKI#z and stores it in the TrackManager. In stepS204, the CPU 28 generates the DPL_TK_SRP#w and stores it in theDefault_Playlist_Information. After this, in step S205 the CPU 28initializes the variable#y (#y←l) and in step S206, the CPU 28initializes the Frame_Number and Data_Size (Frame_Number←0,Data_Size←0).

In step S207, the CPU 28 judges whether the input of the audio datatransport stream that should be written in the AOB_FILE# has ended. Whenthe input of an audio data transport stream that has been encoded by theAAC encoder 25 and encrypted by the scrambling unit 26 into the RAM 22continues and it is necessary to continue the writing of cluster data,the CPU 28 gives the judgement “No” in step S207 and the processingadvances to step S209.

In step S209, the CPU judges whether the amount of AAC audio data thathas accumulated in the RAM 22 is at least equal to the cluster size. Ifso, the CPU 28 gives the judgement “Yes” and the processing advances tostep S210 where an amount of AAC audio data equal to the cluster size iswritten into the flash memory card 31. The processing then advances tostep S211.

When sufficient AAC audio data has not accumulated in the RAM 22, stepS210 is skipped and the processing advances to step S211. In step S211,the CPU increments the Frame_Number (Frame_Number←Frame_Number+1) andincreases the value of the variable Data_Size by the data size of theAOB_FRAME.

After this updating, in step S212 the CPU 28 judges whether the value ofFrame_Number has reached the number of frames that is set in“FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”, the value of “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE” is set inaccordance with the sampling frequency used when encoding the audio datatransport stream. When the value of Frame_Number has reached the numberof frames set in “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”, the CPU 28 gives the judgement“Yes” in step S212. If not, the CPU 28 gives the judgement “No” and theprocessing returns to step S207. The processing in steps S207 to S212 istherefore repeated until the judgement “Yes” is given in either stepS207 or in step S212.

When the variable Frame_Number reaches the value of “FNs_Middle_TMSRTE”,the CPU 28 gives the judgement “Yes” in step S212 and the processingadvances from step S212 to step S213 where Data_Size is stored in theTKTMSRT of TKI#z as the TMSRT_entry#y for the AOB_ELEMENT#y. In stepS214, the CPU 28 increments the variable#y (#y←#y+1) before checking instep S215 whether the variable#y has reached “252”.

The value “252” is used since this is the maximum number of AOB_ELEMENTsthat can be stored in a single AOB. If the variable #y is below 252, theprocessing advances to step 5216, where the CPU 28 judges whether asilence of a predetermined length is present in the encoded audio, whichis to say that the audio data has reached a gap present between tracks.When no such continuous silence is present, the processing composed ofsteps S206 to S215 is repeated. When the variable#y has reached thevalue 252, or a silence of a predetermined length is present in theencoded audio, the judgement “Yes” is given in one of steps S215 andS216 and the processing advances to step S217 where the variable#z isincremented (#z←#z+1).

After this, the processing in steps S202 to S216 is repeated for theincremented variable#z. By repeating this processing, the CPU 28 canhave AOBs including a plurality of AOB_ELEMENTs recorded one after theother into the flash memory card 31.

When the transfer of an audio data transport stream by the AAC encoder25, the scrambling unit 26, and the modem apparatus 27 is complete, thismeans that the input of the audio data transport stream to be writteninto the AOB_FILE#z will also be complete, so that the judgement “Yes”is given in step S207 and the processing advances to step S208. In stepS208, the CPU 28 stores the value of the variable Data_Size in theTKTMSRT of the TKI#z as the TMSRT Entry#y for the AOB_ELEMENT#y. Afterstoring the audio data accumulated in the RAM 22 in the AOB filecorresponding to the AOB#z, the processing in this flowchart ends.

The above processing results in an encrypted audio data transport streambeing stored in the flash memory card 31. The following procedure isthen used to store the FileKey required for decrypting this encryptedaudio data transport stream in the authentication region.

When the audio data transport stream has been inputted via input routeRT1, the AOB file (s), the file storing the TKMG, the file storing thePLMG, and the encryption key storing file storing a different FileKeyfor each AOB are sent to the recording apparatus by a provider of theelectronic music distribution service. The CPU 28 receives these filesand writes the AOB file(s), the file storing the TKMG, and the filestoring the PLMG into the user region of the flash memory card 31. Onthe other hand, the CPU 28 writes only the encryption key storing filestoring a different FileKey for each AOB into the authentication region.

When the audio is inputted via the input route RT2 or RT3, the CPU 28generates a different FileKey every time the encoding of a new AOBcommences and sets the generated key in the scrambling unit 26. Inaddition to being used by the scrambling unit 26 to encrypt the presentAOB, this FileKey is stored following the FileKey Entry in theencryption key storing file present in the authentication region.

With the present embodiment describes above, the files storing AOBs areencrypted using different encryption keys, so that if the encryption keyused to encrypt one file is decoded and exposed, the exposed encryptionkey can only be used to decrypt a file storing one AOB, with suchexposure having no effect on other AOBs that are stored in other files.This minimizes the damage caused when one encryption key is exposed.

Note that while the above description focuses on an example system thatis thought to be the most effective embodiment of the present invention,the invention is not limited to this system. Various modifications arepossible within the scope of the invention, with examples of the suchbeing given as (a) to (e) below.

(a) The above embodiment describes a semiconductor memory (flash memorycard) as the recording medium used, though the present invention can beapplied to other media including optical discs, such as DVD-RAM, or ahard disk.

(b) In the above embodiment, the audio data was described as being inAAC format, though the present invention can also be applied to audiodata in another format such as MP3 (MPEG1 Audio Layer 3), Dolby-AC3, orDTS (Digital Theater System).

(c) While the file storing the TKMG and the file storing the PLMG weredescribed as being received from the provider of the electronic musicdistribution service in a complete form, the main information used tocreate the TKMG and PLMG can be transmitted together with the encryptionkey storing file that stores a different encryption key for each AOB.The recording apparatus may then process this information to obtain theTKMG and PLMG which it then records in the flash memory card.

(d) For ease of explanation, the recording apparatus and playbackapparatus were described as being separate devices, though a portableplayback apparatus can be equipped with the functioning of the recordingapparatus and a recording apparatus in the form of a personal computercan be equipped with the functions of the playback apparatus. Aside fromthe portable playback apparatus and personal computer recordingapparatus, the functions of the playback apparatus and recordingapparatus can also be provided to a communication device that is capableof downloading content from a network.

As one example, a mobile telephone capable of Internet access may beprovided with the functions of the playback apparatus and recordingapparatus described in the above embodiment. This mobile telephone maystore contents downloaded via a wireless network in the flash memorycard 31 in the same way as in the above embodiment. Also, while therecording apparatus described in the above embodiment is provided withthe modem apparatus 27 for connecting to the Internet, any other devicecapable of connecting to the Internet, such as a terminal adapter for anISDN line, may be provided instead.

(e) The procedures shown in the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 55 to 58, FIG.60, FIG. 63 to FIG. 65, and FIG. 68 can be achieved by executableprograms that may be distributed and sold having been recorded on arecording medium. This recording medium may be an IC card, an opticaldisc, a floppy disk, or the like, with the programs recorded on therecording medium being used having first been installed into standardcomputer hardware. By performing processing in accordance with suchinstalled programs, standard computer hardware can perform the samefunctioning as the playback apparatus and recording apparatus describedin the above embodiment.

(f) While the above embodiment describes the case where a plurality ofAOBs and a plurality of FileKeys are stored on the flash memory card 31,only one AOB and one FileKey need be stored. Also, it is not essentialfor the AOBs to be encrypted, so that AOBs may be stored on the flashmemory card 31 in ACC format.

Second Embodiment

{69-1} Overall Composition of the PlaylistManager in the SecondEmbodiment

This second embodiment relates to an improvement in the semiconductormemory card of the first embodiment that allows a playback apparatus toresume playback without repeating tracks that were previously played.FIG. 69 shows the internal composition of the PlaylistManager andTrackManager in this second embodiment. The PlaylistManager andTrackManager in this second embodiment differ from those shown in FIG.17 in that the composition of the PlaylistManager_Information (PLMGI) isshown clearly in FIG. 69, unlike in FIG. 17.

Of particular importance in the PLMGI is the PLMG_RSM_PL. This shows theplayback resume position, and is stored on the semiconductor memory cardto enable a playback apparatus to resume playback of the content withoutrepeatedly playing back the same data.

{70-1} Detailed Composition of the PlaylistManager Information

FIG. 70 shows the detailed composition of thePlaylistManager_Information. As shown in the drawing, the PLMGI has aPLMG_ID field that occupies the 0th and first bytes, a reserved fieldthat occupies the second and third bytes, an SDA_ID field that occupiesthe fourth to eleventh bytes, a VERN field that occupies the twelfth andthirteenth bytes, a PLMG_PL_Ns field that occupies the fourteenth andfifteenth bytes, a PLMG_AP_PL field that occupies the sixteenth tonineteenth bytes, a PLMG_RSM_PL field that occupies the twentieth totwenty-seventh bytes, a PLMG APP_ATR field that occupies thetwenty-eighth and twenty-ninth bytes, a PLMG_FCA field that occupies thethirtieth and thirty-first bytes, a TKI_Ns field that occupies thethirty-second and thirty-third bytes, and a reserved field that occupiesthe thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth bytes. Of these fields in thePlaylistManager, the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL are of most importancein this second embodiment.

{70-2} Information Aside From the PLXG_AP_PL and PLG_RSM_PL

The following first describes the fields in the PlaylistManager asidefrom the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL.

The PLMG_ID is set at “Al” (a character string set according to IS0646Standard) to show that the present information is a PLMGI.

The SDA_ID is set at “SD-AUDIO” (a character string set according toIS0646 Standard) to show that the present PlaylistManager is data inaccordance with the SD-AUDIO specification.

A version number for the SD-AUDIO specification used is set in the VERNfield. The broken line h71 in FIG. 70 shows the bit composition of theversion number. The field composed of bits b7 to b0 is used to store theversion number. When, for example, the version number of the presentPlaylistManager is “Version 0.9”, “09h” is written in this field, andwhen the version number is “Version 1.0”, “10h” is written in thisfield. The field composed of bits b15 to b8 is reserved for future use.

The number of playlists managed by the PLMG, which is to say, the numberof playlists recorded on the present flash memory card is written in thePLMG_PL_Ns field.

The application category ID, which shows the category of the applicationrecorded on the present flash memory card, is written in thePLMG_APP_ATR field. When, as in the first embodiment, the applicationstored on the present flash memory card is music, the value “01h” iswritten in this field.

When the application recorded on the present flash memory card iskaraoke software, the value “02h” is written in this field, when theapplication is presentation data, the value “03h” is written in thisfield, and when the application is an audiobook, the value “04h” iswritten in this field.

When the application category ID is “02h”, the audio data is recorded onthe present flash memory card as karaoke data, so that the right channelis used for the backing track and the left channel is used for thevocals. When audio data is recorded in this way, a playback apparatuscan play back a karaoke backing track by playing back the audio data forthe right channel on both the left and right channels.

The PLMG_FCA field is reserved for future use.

An integer showing the number of TKIs, like that in the firstembodiment, is written in the TKI_Ns field. This value is given in therange from “1” to “999”.

This completes the explanation of the fields in the PlaylistManageraside from the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL.

{70-3} PLMG_AP_PL

The PLMG_AP_PL shows the number of a playlist that is to beautomatically read and the number of the first track to be automaticallyplayed back in that playlist when the present flash memory card isloaded into a playback apparatus and the playback apparatus activated.The broken line h72 in FIG. 70 shows the bit composition of the fourbytes of the PLMG_AP_PL. The field between bit b31 and b26 and the fieldbetween b15 and b8 are reserved for future use. Bits b7 to b0 form aPlaylist Number field in which a number of the playlist to beautomatically read is given in the range of “1” to “99” (in decimal).The number written in this field is the number of a Playlist_Information(PLI) as described in the first embodiment. To indicate theDefault_Playlist_Information, the number “0” is written.

Bits b25 to b16 form a Track Number field in which a number of the trackto be automatically played back out of the plurality of tracks specifiedby the playlist is given. The number written in this field is theTrack_Number as described in the first embodiment. The values in thefields of the PLMG_AP_PL can be freely set by the user, and must be setat “0” when the PLMG_AP_PL is not used.

{70-4} PLMG_RSM_PL

When playback has already been performed for one or more AOB filesrecorded on the flash memory card, the PLMG_RSM_PL will include aPlaylist Number showing the playlist that was used for the previousplayback of data on the flash memory card, a Track Number showing thenumber of the last track to be played back according to this playlist,and a Playback Time showing at what point the playback stopped in thetrack indicated by the Track Number.

In FIG. 70, the broken line h73 shows the bit composition of thePLMG_RSM_PL. The bit composition of bit number b31 to bit number b0 isthe same as the PLMG_AP_PL. The number of the playlist that was used forthe preceding playback is written as a value in the range from “0” to“99” in the Playlist Number field that occupies the region from bitnumber b7 to bit number b0. The number of the last track to be playedback out of the various tracks specified by this playlist is written inthe Track Number field that occupies the region from bit number b25 tobit number b16.

Unlike the bit composition of the PLMG_AP_PL, the region from bit numberb32 to bit number b63 of the PLMG_RSM_PL forms a Playback_Timefield. Thetime at which the preceding playback of the track indicated by the TrackNumber was stopped is written in this field to millisecond accuracy.Note that when PLMG_RSM_PL is not used by the user, the value “0” mustbe set in all fields of the PLMG_RSM_PL.

{70-4_(—)71} Setting of the PLMG_RSM_PL when the Flash Memory Card isTransferred Between Playback Apparatuses

The following describes how the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL are set whenthe flash memory card of this second embodiment is transferred betweenplayback apparatuses. FIG. 71 shows how the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PLare set when the flash memory card of this second embodiment istransferred between playback apparatuses.

In FIG. 71, the flash memory card is transferred between a plurality ofplayback apparatuses that are composed of a standard personal computer,a portable playback apparatus and an in-car playback apparatus. Notethat each of these playback apparatuses is equipped with the functionsof the playback apparatus and recording apparatus described in the firstembodiment.

The present explanation describes a flash memory card that stores AOBfiles composing TrackA to TrackE, in the same way as in FIG. 16.

Assume that the flash memory card of this second embodiment is firstloaded into the personal computer 200 which records the presentationdata and navigation data described in the first embodiment. Assume thatafter this, the personal computer 200 sets the PLMG_AP_PL with thePlaylist_Number “0” indicating the Default_Playlist Information and theTrack_Number “3” indicating TrackC. In this example, the user has theAOB files on the flash memory card played back in the order TrackA,TrackB, TrackC and stops the playback at a point 3 min 31 secs into theplayback of TrackC whose playback period is 5.5 minutes. In this case,the personal computer 200 writes the Playlist_Number “0” indicating theDefault_Playlist_Information and the Track_Number “3” indicating TrackCinto the PLMG_RSM_PL field. In addition, the personal computer 200 alsowrites the value “00:03:31:000” showing the point where playback wasstopped for TrackC into the Playback_Time field in the PLMG_RSM_PL.After this, the user removes the flash memory card from the personalcomputer 200 and, as shown by the arrow my71, loads it into the portableplayback apparatus 100.

In the first embodiment, the playback apparatus (the portable playbackapparatus 100) starts the playback with the first AOB_FRAME in TrackAthat is specified by the Default_Playlist_Information. In this secondembodiment, however, the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL are provided in thePlaylistManager_Information, so that the playback apparatus can startthe playback from any AOB_FRAME in accordance with the content of thisinformation.

Since the personal computer 200 set the value “0” in the Playlist_Numberto indicate the Default_Playlist_Information, the value “3” in theTrack_Number to indicate TrackC and “00:03:31.000” in the Playback_Time,the portable playback apparatus 100 can know that the playback hasalready been performed up to a point 3 min 31 secs into TrackC in theDefault_Playlist_Information and that playback should be performed froma point 3 minutes and 31.001 seconds into TrackC.

Assume that the user puts in the earphones attached to the portableplayback apparatus 100 and leaves the house after the playback of TrackChas commenced.

In the present example, the user listens to the end part of TrackC andthen a first part of TrackD, stopping the playback at a point 10 minutesand 30 seconds into the playback of TrackD. In this case, the portableplayback 13 apparatus 100 updates the content of the PLMG_RSM_PL bywriting “0” in the Playlist_Number to indicate theDefault_Playlist_Information, “4” in the Track_Number to indicateTrackD, and “00:10:30.000” in the Playback_Time to indicate thatplayback was stopped at a point 10 minutes and 30 seconds into theplayback of TrackD. On the other hand, the content of the PLMG_AP_PL isnot rewritten, so that the Playlist_Number stays at “0” to indicate theDefault_PlaylistInformation and the Track_Number remains at “3” toindicate TrackC.

After this, assume that the user removes the flash memory card from theportable playback apparatus 100 and, as shown by the arrow my72 in FIG.71, loads it into the in-car player 300.

Since the portable playback apparatus 100 set the value “0” in thePlaylist_Number to indicate the Default_Playlist_Information, the value“4” in the Track_Number to indicate TrackD and “00:10:30.000” in thePlayback_Time, the in-car player 300 can know that the playback hasalready been performed up to a point 10 min 30 secs into TrackD in theDefault_Playlist_Information and that playback should be performed froma point 10 minutes and 30.001 seconds into TrackD.

The playback of TrackD commences from this point and continues for 9minutes and 30 seconds before the user stops the playback once again.Since part of TrackD remains, the Playlist_Number and Track_Number inthe PLMG_RSM_PL are left unchanged, and only the Playback_Time isupdated using the value “00:20:00.000”.

As described above, when the flash memory card is removed from thepersonal computer 200 and loaded into the portable playback apparatus100, playback commences from a point immediately following the pointwhere playback by the personal computer 200 was stopped.

In the same way, when the flash memory card is removed from the portableplayback apparatus 100 and loaded into the in-car player 300, playbackcommences from a point immediately following the point where playback bythe portable playback apparatus 100 was stopped. This means that theflash memory card can be transferred from the personal computer 200 tothe portable playback apparatus 100 and then to the in-car player 300without the same data being played back twice.

{70-5} Updating of the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL When the TRI is Edited

No further explanation of the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL will be given.Instead, the following will describe how the content of the PLMG_AP_PLand PLMG_RSM_PL are updated for four editing operations described in thefirst embodiment. These are case1 where a track is deleted, case3 wheretwo tracks are combined, case4 where a track is divided into two, andcase5 where the playback order of tracks is rearranged.

When in case1, the track specified by the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL isdeleted, the Track_Number given in the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL in thePlaylistManager is set so as to indicate the track that follows thedeleted track in the indicated playlist. The Playback_Time in thePLMG_RSM_PL is also set at “00:00:00.000” to indicate the start of thisfollowing track.

When in case3, the track specified by the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL iscombined with another track, the Track_Number given in the PLMG_AP_PLand PLMG_RSM_PL in the PlaylistManager is set so as to indicate theposition of the combined track in the indicated playlist.

When in case4, the track specified by the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL isdivided, the Track Number given in the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL in thePlaylistManager is set so as to indicate the position of the former partor latter of) part of the divided track in the indicated playlist. ThePlayback_Time is compared with the division boundary and when thePlayback_Time is before the division boundary, the Track_Number of thetrack corresponding to the former Un part of the divided track is set inthe PLMG_RSM_PL. When the Playback_Time is after the division boundary,the Track_Number of the track corresponding to the latter part of thedivided track is set in the PLMG_RSM_PL.

When in case5 the position of the track indicated by the PLMG_AP_PL andPLMG_RSM_PL in the indicated playlist is changed, the Track_Number givenin the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL in the PlaylistManager is set so as toindicate the new position of the track in the indicated playlist.

While the above explanation states that the PLMG AP PL and PLMG_RSM_PLare updated when tracks are edited, the settings of the PLMG_AP_PL andPLMG_RSM_PL may simply be cleared when track editing is performed.

{72-1} Setting of How the PLMG_RSM_PL, PLMG_AP_PL are Used

The following describes the playback apparatus of this secondembodiment. This playback apparatus has three main differences from theplayback apparatus described in the first embodiment.

A first difference is the playback apparatus receives the setting of thePLMG_AP PL and the initial settings from the user. FIG. 72 shows themenu screen used for receiving a user input of the PLMG_AP_PL and theinitial settings.

As shown in FIG. 72, by selecting one of the character strings “resumeplayback from previous position” or “start with favorite track”, theuser can have the playback apparatus refer to either the PLMG_AP_PL orPLMG_RSM_PL when a flash memory card is loaded. In this example, theuser's “favorite track” is the track specified by the Playlist_Numberand Track_Number given in the PLMG_AP_PL.

When the user selects one of these character strings, the playbackapparatus sets an appropriate flag. This flag (called the “activationflag”) shows whether the playback should start from the Playlist_Numberand Track_Number given in the PLMG_AP_PL or from the Playlist_Number,Track_Number and Playback_Time given in the PLMG_RSM_PL. When the userselects “resume playback from previous position”, the activation flag isset at “on”, so that when a flash memory card is loaded, the playbackapparatus refers to the PLMG_RSM_PL and starts playing back data fromthe point where playback was previously stopped. When the user selects“start with favorite track”, the activation flag is set at “off”, sothat when a flash memory card is loaded, the playback apparatus startsthe playback with the track indicated in the PLMG_AP_PL.

The menu screen shown in FIG. 72 also allows the user to set his/herfavorite track. When the user performs an input operation using a keypanel, the PLMG_AP_PL on the flash memory card is written so as to showthe indicated playlist and track. Note that the activation flag may beset in other ways, such as by a dip switch or a push-button switchprovided on the playback apparatus.

{56_(—)57_(—)58-1} Updating the PLMG_RSM_PL

A second difference with the first embodiment is that when the userpresses the “Stop” key, the playback apparatus of the second embodimentupdates the setting of the PLMG_RSM_PL. In the first embodiment, apressing of the “Stop” key in any of the flowcharts in FIGS. 56, 57 and58 results in the judgement “Yes” being given instep S31, step S42, orstep S54 and the processing in that flowchart ending.

In the second embodiment, however, the playback apparatus will then setvalues in the PLMG_RSM_PL. In more detail, the playback apparatusspecifies the Playlist_Number of the playlist currently being used forplayback and the Track_Number corresponding to the AOB currently beingplayed back and writes these into the PLMG_RSM_PL. The playbackapparatus also refers to the value of the variable play_time (that wasdescribed in the first embodiment) at the point when playback wasstopped and sets this value in the PLMG_RSM_PL as the Playback_Time.

In addition to when the “Stop” key is pressed, the playback apparatusmay also update the settings in the PLMG_RSM_PL when the user pressesthe “Pause” key. The playback apparatus may also update the settings ofthe Playlist_Number, Track_Number and Playback_Time in the PLMG_RSM_PLwhen the remaining power in the batteries is low. As a result, validinformation can be set in the PLMG_RSM_PL for the case where playbackstops not because the user has pressed the “Stop” key but because thebatteries of the playback apparatus have run out.

{73-1} Playback Position Specifying Procedure

The following describes the third difference with the first embodiment.In the first embodiment, AOB files are played back in the order in whichthey are specified by a playlist. In this second embodiment, however,playback is performed starting from the playback position determined inaccordance with the procedure shown in FIG. 73. The following describesthe playback position determining procedure based on the PLMG_AP_PL andPLMG_RSM_PL. This description refers to the flowchart in FIG. 73.

Once the processing in this flowchart is activated, in step S301 the CPU10 refers to the activation flag that was set using the menu screen inFIG. 72 and determines which of the PLMG_AP_PL and PLMG_RSM_PL should bereferred to when a flash memory card is loaded.

When the activation flag indicates the PLMG_AP_PL, the processingadvances from step S301 to step S302. In step S302, the CPU 10 refers tothe PLMG_AP_PL and specifies the TKI of the track specified by the TrackNumber in the playlist specified by the Playlist_Number as the TKI#zthat was described in the first embodiment. The CPU 10 then startsplaying back the AOB file#z that corresponds to TKI#z.

When the activation flag indicates that priority should be given to thePLMG_RSM_PL, the processing advances from step S301 to step S303. Instep S303, the CPU 10 reads the PLMG_RSM_PL from thePlaylistManager_Information and in step S304 the CPU 10 judges whetherthe Playlist_Number, Track_Number, and Playback_Time written in thePLMG_RSM_PL are valid.

When the PLMG_RSM_PL was not properly set the last time playbackstopped, or when there is an error during a read of clusters indicatedby the PLMG_RSM_PL, the CPU 10 will judge that the PLMG_RSM_PL isinvalid. The processing will then proceed from step S304 to step S302where the CPU 10 starts playback based on the PLMG_AP_PL.

When the Playlist_Number, Track_Number, and Playback_Time in thePLMG_RSM_PL are valid, the processing proceeds from step S304 to step3305 where the CPU 10 judges whether the value of Playback_Time given inthe PLMG_RSM_PL is the same as the playback period (TKI_PB_TM) of thetrack indicated by the Track_Number written in the PLMG_RSM_PL. If thesetwo values are not equal, part of the track indicated by theTrack_Number is yet to be played back, so that in step S306 the CPUspecifies the TKI indicated by the Track_Number in the PLMG_RSM_PL asTKI#z and in step S307 the CPU 10 specifies the AOB_FRAME#x andAOB_ELEMENT#y from which playback should start within an AOB filecorresponding to this TKI, based on the Playback_Time given in thePLMG_RSM_PL.

The procedure for specifying the AOB_ELEMENT#y and AOB_FRAME#x thatcorrespond to any particular playback start time within a track wasdescribed in the first embodiment using Equations 1 to 3. The CPU 10uses these equations to calculate the AOB_ELEMENT#y and AOB_FRAME#x andthen in step S308 starts the playback from the AOB_FRAME#x in theAOB_ELEMENT#y in the AOB file#z.

When the value of Playback_Time is equal to the value of TKI_PB_TM, thejudgement “Yes” is given in step S305 and the processing advances tostep S309. The CPU 10 then judges whether the Track_Number in thePLMG_RSM_PL is equal to the TKI_Ns given in the PlaylistManager. If not,this means that at least one track is yet to be played back in theplaylist specified by the Playlist_Number, so that the processingadvances from step S309 to step S311. In step S311, the TKI followingthe TKI specified by the Track_Number in the PLMG_RSM_PL is specified asTKI#z and in step S312 the CPU 10 starts the playback of AOBs from thestart of the AOB file#z that corresponds to TKI#z.

When the TKI_PB_TM is equal to the Playback_Time and the Track_Numbergiven in the PLMG_RSM_PL is equal to the TKI_Ns, it can be assumed thatthe playlist indicated by the Playlist_Number in the PLMG_RSM_PL willhave been played back in its entirety, so that the playback apparatuswill then receive a user input of the next playlist to be played back.

With the present embodiment, PLMG_RSM_PL is recorded on thesemiconductor memory card as the playback resume position. Thisinformation shows how far the previous playback of the semiconductormemory card proceeded, so that when the semiconductor memory card isremoved from a playback apparatus and loaded into another playbackapparatus, this second playback apparatus can commence playback at apoint immediately following the point where playback by the firstplayback apparatus ended.

As a result, when the user listens to a part of a music album composedof TrackA to TrackE on a first playback apparatus, stops the playback,and then has the album played back on a different playback apparatus,this second playback apparatus can refer to the PLMG_RSM_PL showing thepoint where the previous playback stopped and so know what part of thealbum has already been played back to millisecond accuracy. The playbackapparatus can therefore resume the playback from a point immediatelyfollowing the point where playback was stopped. This means that the userdoes not have to listen to the same tracks, even when the semiconductormemory card is transferred from one playback apparatus to another.

Third Embodiment

{74-1} DPLI RSM_PL, PLI_RSM_PL

In this third embodiment, the DPLI and each PLI are each provided withtheir own playback resume information, DPLI_RSM_PL or PLI_RSM_PL, toshow at what point the previous playback of that playlist ended. FIG. 74shows the Default_Playlist_Information that has a DPLI_RSM_PL in theDPLGI and a PLI that has a PLI_RSM_PL in the PLGI.

DPLI_RSM_PL (PLI_RSM_PL) only includes a Track_Number and Playback_Time,and so differs from the PLMG_RSM_PL in that a Playlist_Number isunnecessary. As another difference, when all of the tracks in theplayback order indicated by the DPLI or a PLI have been completelyplayed back, the value “FF” is set in the Track_Number in theDPLI_RSM_PL (PLI_RSM_PL) to show that the playlist was completely playedback.

The following describes the playback apparatus of the third embodiment.

When the playback of the tracks specified in the playback order of a PLIis stopped midway, the playback apparatus writes the PlayList_Number ofthat PLI, the Track_Number of the current track, and the Playback_Timeinto the PLMG_RSM_PL in the same way as in the second embodiment. As adifference, however, the playback apparatus also writes the Track_Numberand the Playback_Time into the PLI_RSM_PL corresponding to thatPlaylist_Number.

In the same way as in the first embodiment, a user can indicate aplaylist to be played back. In this third embodiment, however, theplayback apparatus will refer to the PLI_RSM_PL of the PLI for theindicated playlist. When no values are given in the Track_Number andPlayback_Time in the PLI_RSM_PL of that playlist, the playback apparatusstarts the playback from the start of the first track in the playbackorder given in the PLI. Conversely, when values are given in theTrack_Number and Playback_Time in that PLI_RSM_PL, the playbackapparatus plays back the tracks in the playback order given in that PLIstarting from the position indicated by the Track_Number andPlayback_Time.

{74-2_(—)75_(—)76}

FIG. 75 shows how the DPLI_RSM_PL of the DPLI and the PLI_RSM_PLs ofseveral PLIs are set. FIG. 76 shows a track sequence composed of theplayback order specified by the playlist shown in FIG. 41 that wasreferred to in the first embodiment.

Track sequences are separately specified by the DLPI, PLI#1, and PLI#2,with the playback ranges (1) to (3) in FIG. 76 showing the parts ofthese track sequences that have already been played back.

The following describes where the playback will commence when one of theDLPI, PLI#1, or PLI#2 is indicated for playback with the playback ranges(1) to (3) having already been played back.

{74-3_(—)75_(—)76}

Playback of the track sequence indicated by the DPLI was previouslyperformed up to a point midway through TrackC, so that in theDPLI_RSM_PL in the DPLI, “TrackC” and “00:03:31.00004” are set in theTrack_Number and Playback_Time to show the playback resume position (4)at the end of the playback range (1).

Reproduction of the track sequence indicated by PLI#1 was previouslyperformed up to the end, so that in the PLI_RSM_PL of PLI#1, “FF” is setin the Track_Number.

Reproduction of the track sequence indicated by PLI#2 was previouslyperformed up to a point midway through TrackA, so that in the PLI_RSM_PLof PLI#2, “TrackA” and “00:01:11.00000” are set in the Track-Number andPlayback_Time to show the playback resume position (5) at the end of theplayback range (2).

Since PLI#3 is yet to be indicated and its track sequence has not beenplayed back, the value “00” is set in the Track_Number in the PLI_RSM_PLof PLI#3.

As the PLI_RSM_PL (DPLI_RSM_PL) of each PLI (and the DPLI) are set asshown in FIG. 75, if the user indicates the DPLI after indicating PLI#1,the playback of the track sequence indicated by the DPLI will be resumedfrom the playback resume position (4) immediately after the playbackrange (1).

If the user indicates PLI#2 once the track sequence indicated by theDPLI has been completely played back, the playback of the track sequenceindicated by PLI#2 will be resumed from the the playback resume position(5) immediately after the playback range (2).

With this embodiment, when a playlist is indicated for playback by auser operation, the playback apparatus will refer to the PLI_RSM_PL(DPLI_RSM_PL) for the indicated playlist and will resume the playback ofthe track sequence specified by that playlist in accordance with theTrack_Number and Playback_Time given in that PLI_RSM_PL (DPLI_RSM_PL).This means that playback can be resumed for any of the playlists withoutrepeating tracks that have been previously played back.

Note that since the resumption of playback for every playlist isperformed in this embodiment according to the Track_Number andPlayback_Time in the PLI_RSM_PL (DPLI_RSM_PL), it is preferable for theuser indication of the playlist to be made via a menu like that shown inFIG. 77 instead of via the menu of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 49that merely gives a list of the playlists. FIG. 77 shows an example menuthat displays the playlists together with the settings of the PLI_RSM_PLfor each playlist for the case where the playback ranges (1) to (3)shown in FIG. 76 have already been played back. PLIs that have not hadtheir track sequences played back in their entirety are displayed with atrack number showing the Track_Number in the PLI_RSM_PL and a playbacktime based on the value of the Playback_Time in the PLI_RSM_PL.Conversely, PLIs that have had their track sequences played back intheir entirety have the value “FF” set in the Track_Number in thePLI_RSM_PL and so are displayed with an indication showing that playbackis complete. As a result, this menu tells the user how much of eachplaylist has been played back, so that the user can know which playlistshave been entirely played back and which playlists have only beenpartially played back.

Fourth Embodiment

While music applications are stored on the flash memory card 31 in thefirst to third embodiments, the present embodiment relates to animprovement in the storage of short-lived applications. Here a“short-lived application” refers to any application, such as news, anaudio magazine, a recording of a speech, etc., that only needs to belistened to once, and so differs from music applications that arerepeatedly listened to. As conventional examples of the short-livedapplications, magazines tend to be published weekly or monthly whilenews tends to be published every day.

When a recording apparatus downloads a short-lived application via anetwork, the recording apparatus records the audio data composing theshort-lived application onto the flash memory card 31 as AOBs, generatesa plurality of TKIs for the AOBS, and stores these TKIs on the flashmemory card 31. The recording apparatus also generatesPlaylist_Information specifying the TKI(s) for this short-livedapplication and records the PLI onto the flash memory card 31.

The following describes the improvements in the DPLI, PLIs and TKIs madein this fourth embodiment. In the second embodiment, the PLI_APP_ATR isprovided in the PlaylistManager as information showing the attributes ofan application. In the fourth embodiment, PLI_APP_ATR and TKI_APP_ATRarea also provided as the application attributes in the DPLGI, PLGI, andTKGI. FIG. 78 shows the data format of the DPLGI, PLGI, and TKGI in thisfourth embodiment.

Like the “PLMG_APP_ATR” in the second embodiment, the PLI_APP_ATR in aPLGI includes an application category ID showing the category to whichthe PLI belongs. When the genre of an application corresponding to a PLIis music like in the first embodiment, the value “01h” is set in thisfield.

In the same way, the value “02h” is set in this field when theapplication corresponding to a PLI is a karaoke software, the value“03h” when the application is presentation data, and the value “04h”when the application is an audiobook. Other values may also be used toindicate other types of application. In the PLI for a short-livedapplication, the PLI_APP_ATR in the PLGI is set at “04h” to indicate anaudiobook.

A recording apparatus generates a PLI for a short-lived application inthis way and stores this PLI on a flash memory card 31 so as to beassociated with the short-lived application.

The following describes the problems that occur when short-livedapplications are stored on a flash memory card 31. When a short-livedapplication is used for news, only the most recent application is sentto the recording apparatus every day. If the recording apparatusaccumulatively stores every day's news onto a flash memory card 31, thelimited storage capacity of the flash memory card 31 will soon be takenup by such short-lived applications.

To stop short-lived applications from taking up too much space on theflash memory card 31, the recording apparatus should refer to thePLI_RSM_PL and PLI_APP_ATR and perform the operations described below.Since short-lived applications are stored on the flash memory card 31together with PLIs where the PLI_APP_ATR is set to indicate anaudiobook, a recording apparatus can determine which PLIs, TKIS, andAOBs correspond to short-lived applications by referring to thePLI_APP_ATRs.

In the PLI for a short-lived application, the value “IFF” is set in thePLI_RSM_PL if all of the tracks in the indicated playback order havebeen entirely played back, or at a different value if the playback ofthe tracks in the indicated playback order has not been completed.Accordingly, a recording apparatus can know whether a short-livedapplication has been played back in its entirety 41 simply by referringto the Track_Number in the PLI_RSM_PL.

After checking the Track_Number in this way, the recording apparatus candelete the TKIS, AOBS, and PLIs for short-lived applications that havebeen played back in their entirety. This stops the storage capacity ofthe flash memory card 31 from being overwhelmed by the accumulation of alarge number of short-lived applications. Note that while the aboveexample refers to the case where the recording apparatus refers to thePLI_RSM_PL and PLI_APP_ATR, the same control can be performed for theDPLI_RSM_PL and DPLI_APP_ATR.

With this embodiment, short-lived applications, such as news, can bedownloaded and stored on a flash memory card 31. Such short-livedapplications can be deleted starting with the applications that havebeen entirely played back, so that even when a short-lived applicationsuch as news is produced every day, such short-lived applications can beprevented from taking up all of the storage capacity of the flash memorycard 31.

Although the present invention has been fully described by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be notedthat various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilledin the art. Therefore, unless such changes and modifications depart fromscope of the present invention, they should be construed as beingincluded therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor memory card storing: an audiosequence in which a plurality of audio objects are arranged; resumeinformation including a type 1 resume position set according to a useroperation, and including, using time information, a type 2 resumeposition that was automatically set when playback of the audio sequencelast stopped; and a plurality of pieces of entry information, each ofwhich is respectively associated with a different audio object, eachpiece of entry information showing at least one entry position in therespectively associated audio object, adjacent entry positions beingseparated by an interval equivalent to y seconds, wherein each audioobject includes a plurality of audio frames, each audio frame has areproduction time of x seconds and comprises a header part and a datapart, the data part having been compressed by a variable-length encodingmethod, and the y seconds are not less than twice the x seconds.
 2. Asemiconductor memory card in accordance with claim 1 further storing atleast one piece of playback route information, each of which defines aplayback route by including identification information of at least oneaudio object and a playback position of the at least one audio object inthe playback route, wherein the resume information further includesspecifying information that specifies one piece of playback routeinformation, and the resume information shows the type 1 resume positionby using a piece of identification information and a playback positionof an audio object in the specified piece of playback route information,and shows the type 2 resume position by using the time informationcombined with a piece of identification information and a playbackposition of an audio object in the specified piece of playback routeinformation.
 3. A semiconductor memory card in accordance with claim 2,further storing a piece of supplementary resume information respectivelycorresponding to each piece of playback route information, wherein eachpiece of supplementary resume information shows a position in an audioobject from which playback should start when audio objects are to beplayed back in accordance with the respectively corresponding piece ofplayback route information, using the time information combined with apiece of identification information of the audio object from whichplayback should start, and each resume position shown by the resumeinformation is one of a plurality of positions shown by a plurality ofpieces of supplementary resume information.
 4. A semiconductor memorycard in accordance with claim 3, wherein a first value is set in eachpiece of supplementary resume information when playback is complete forall audio objects whose identification information is indicated by therespectively corresponding piece of playback route information, and asecond value, which is represented by the time information combined witha piece of identification information of an audio object, is set in eachpiece of supplementary resume information when playback is not completefor all audio objects whose identification information is indicated bythe respectively corresponding piece of playback route information.
 5. Aplayback apparatus for a semiconductor memory card that stores (1) anaudio sequence in which a plurality of audio objects are arranged, (2)resume information including a resume position for use when playback ofthe audio sequence resumes within the audio sequence, and (3) aplurality of pieces of entry information, each of which is respectivelyassociated with a different audio object, each piece of entryinformation showing at least one entry position in the respectivelyassociated audio object, adjacent entry positions being separated by aninterval equivalent to y seconds, the playback apparatus comprising: areceiving unit operable to receive, from a user, a first playbackoperation specifying one of the audio objects or a second playbackoperation that does not specify any of the audio objects; and a playbackunit operable to play back the specified audio object when the receivingunit has received the first playback operation, and read the resumeinformation from the semiconductor memory card and play back the audiosequence starting from the resume position shown by the resumeinformation when the receiving unit has received the second playbackoperation, wherein the playback unit, when resuming a playback from anaudio object, (a) detects, when the audio object has a plurality ofentry positions, an entry position that is before and closest to theresume position, and (b) detects an audio frame corresponding to theresume position by referring to header parts of audio objects after thedetected entry position.
 6. The playback apparatus of claim 5, whereinthe playback unit detects the audio frame corresponding to the resumeposition by: (1) acquiring a size of an audio frame u from the audioframe u; (2) adding a playback time period of the audio frame u to aplayback time v; and (3) accessing an audio frame that follows the audioframe u, based on the acquired size of the audio frame u, andrecognizing the accessed audio frame as the audio frame u, and whereinthe audio frame u represents an audio frame that exists immediatelyafter the detected entry position, and the playback time v represents aplayback time indicated by a piece of entry information corresponding tothe audio object.
 7. A recording apparatus for a semiconductor memorycard, the recording apparatus comprising: a receiving unit operable toreceive an operation made by a user; a playback unit operable to playback audio objects included in an audio sequence when the receivedoperation is a playback operation; and a recording unit operable tospecify, when the received operation is a stop operation, a resumeposition based on a playback time corresponding to a playback positionwhere the user made the stop operation, the resume position showingwhere playback of the audio sequence should be resumed, and recordresume information including the resume position onto the semiconductormemory card.
 8. A playback method for a semiconductor memory card thatstores (1) an audio sequence in which a plurality of audio objects arearranged, (2) resume information including a resume position for usewhen playback of the audio sequence resumes within the audio sequence,and (3) a plurality of pieces of entry information, each of which isrespectively associated with a different audio object, each piece ofentry information showing at least one entry position in therespectively associated audio object, adjacent entry positions beingseparated by an interval equivalent to y seconds, the playback methodcomprising: a receiving operation of receiving, from a user, a firstplayback operation specifying one of the audio objects or a secondplayback operation that does not specify any of the audio objects; and aplayback operation of playing back the specified audio object when thereceiving step operation has received the first playback operation, andreading the resume information from the semiconductor memory card andplaying back the audio sequence starting from the resume position shownby the resume information when the receiving operation has received thesecond playback operation, wherein the playback operation, when resuminga playback from an audio object, (a) detects, when the audio object hasa plurality of entry positions, an entry position that is before andclosest to the resume position, and (b) detects an audio framecorresponding to the resume position by referring to header parts ofaudio objects after the detected entry position.
 9. The playback methodof claim 8, wherein the playback operation detects the audio framecorresponding to the resume position by: (1) acquiring a size of anaudio frame u from the audio frame u; (2) adding a playback time periodof the audio frame u to a playback time v; and (3) accessing an audioframe that follows the audio frame u, based on the acquired size of theaudio frame u, and recognizing the accessed audio frame as the audioframe u, and wherein the audio frame u represents an audio frame thatexists immediately after the detected entry position, and the playbacktime v represents a playback time indicated by a piece of entryinformation corresponding to the audio object.
 10. A recording methodfor a semiconductor memory card, the recording method comprising:receiving an operation made by a user; playing back audio objectsincluded in an audio sequence when the received operation is a playbackoperation; and specifying, when the received operation is a stopoperation, a resume position based on a playback time corresponding to aplayback position where the user made the stop operation, the resumeposition showing where playback of the audio sequence should be resumed,and recording resume information including the resume position onto thesemiconductor memory card.